Blades in Motion
by Hypes
Summary: Jack the Slayer has been imprisoned as the mysterious serial killings continue. Jack may be innocent, but it will take a small group of seasoned adventurers to solve the mystery! Will Manches ever be safe? please Read and Review!
1. I

Blades in Motion

[Power Stone is © CAPCOM.]

It was dark out. The lights were just being lit in the cobble stone streets of Manches. The tall buildings formed an eerie presence at night. Such the night had come to claim the French town for itself, driving all the inhabitants, save the police naturally, into their beds. Don't get me wrong, Manches is a beautiful city, one of the finest in all of France. But things tend to happen at night that only the foolish speak of. For at night, Jack comes out to play…

                In recent events, it has become known that this bandaged knife wielding serial killer has been captured. In fact, Jack's public hanging is coming soon, and the people of Manches, especially the ladies, look forward to it. But the perplexingly odd thing about the whole situation is, well, you'll see…

                Like I told you before, it was dark out. T'wasn't twilight or evening hours, but the hours of the pitch black sky. Only the tiny flickers of the street's flames kept the city lighted. You see, you cannot grasp what I am about to reveal unless you realize that this sort of thing happens only the blackest, darkest of nights. Two women, garnered in lavishing 19th century dresses and parasols, walked into a dark alley. Mind you, they were dearly aware of their surroundings, but they had nothing to fear. For you see, Jack the Slayer, or whom witnesses dubbed the "Mad Clown", had been in Manches deepest dungeon under the tightest of security for weeks. Three weeks to be precise. To get back to the point, these lovely ladies were walking through the ally, for purposes quite uncertain, in the dark. And yet they seemed to have a festive, even giddy aura around their pleasant conversation.

                "Did you hear? They finally caught him!" The blonde woman spoke enthusiastically.

                "Oh did they now? It's been the news for three weeks dear! The constable expects to hang the wretched villain in a matter of weeks!" The brunette laughed.

                "Finally, we can go out at night and not worry." The blonde sighed.

                A shadow rushed over the women's backs, a creature was rushing about. The loud flip flop flip flop of leather boots against checkered marble alerted to someone's presence.

                "What was that?!" The blonde panicked. She brought up her parasol to her bosom for protection.

                "It was just a rat dearie. I'm sure of it…" The brunette scoffed.

                "A-are you certain?! What if HE – Jack the slayer – escaped?!" the blonde's eyes darted back and forth, from lamp post to lamp post.

                "Quite certain. There is no way that he could escape! It's preposterous to even think about an escape from that dungeon!" The brunette huffed.

                "Hehehehehehehehehehe!" A high pitched, squeaky voice echoed throughout the alley. The two ladies instantly wrapped around each other, searching the alley.

                Now you see, this laugh was no ordinary laugh. No human on earth could audit this horrible laugh. No human I've ever met anyways. These women became so frightened, and if you and I were in that same alley that dark and dreaded night we would have become equally or even more disturbed by this chilling laugh. For this laugh belonged to only one soul: Jack the Slayer.

                "S-sir! This isn't funny at all! We know that you are a fraud! J-jack is in prison, and you are nothing more than a mischievous young boy in hopes of frightening a couple of innocent ladies! Show yourself!" The brunette shouted into the dark recesses of the beautiful architecture.

                "I don't know what you mean. Show my self. I don't need to do anything more than laugh and you should know who I am. Hahahahahahahahahahaha!" The same boyish yet devil voice screeched.

                The blonde closed her eyes hard and gripped her parasol even harder. "It's impossible. It's impossible. It's impossible." She repeated to her self over and over, like an incantation to ward an evil soul away.

                However, the trick did nothing more but present a sign to the women. A bright red eye presented itself in a dark ledge high above. The brunette placed her parasol at her side and stood before her cowering friend. "How dare you, you despicable ruffian! I demand that you show yourself! Shame on you!"

                The brunettes eyes were shaking, obviously scared. The red eye, alone in a black world, seemed to reflect a kind of enjoyment.

                "There are two thing in this world that I adore. Hehehehehe. Shiny things and women. Shiny things lead to women. Women love shiny things too. Hehehehehe." The red eye laughed. 

In a frightening pace, that very red devil eyeball leaped through the darkness and to the green and white checkerboard floor below. This eyeball now rested within a masked head. Still a lone eye, the head it shared was wrapped completely in bandages, save for tuffs of black hair. The entire body was bandaged like this, clad in bandages and an odd green coat. Those leather shoes were on wrapped feet. The fiend held a most interesting posture and a large dagger in each bandaged hand. As confusing as it was, this was Jack the Slayer.

                The blonde screamed with fright. So loud, her scream, that the crows took flight in a manner of hideous caws of crow language. But not a soul could catch this scream.

                "Mmmm…delicious. I love a good scream. Hehehe. You have many shiny things on you, lady. I take them from you. Hahahaha!" The bandaged aberration chanted.

                "Back you…you fiend!" The brunette struck forward with her white closed parasol, but the seasoned killer easily dodged. To describe of dodging requires an extent of the imagination. Jack's knees bent backwards, whereas Jack leaned backwards till he was parallel with the floor, and yet his lower legs still were upright! The parasol jabbed above his body in a swift manner. Using his knifes as legs, the nimble beast was able to quickly scuttle backwards in an insect manner.

                The blonde was wide eyed with horror. This man may have just broken several bones in his body to parry the stab. And yet he was still moving as if he were in no pain. Jack kicked himself into a twirling leap, straight up. Flying high above the women, the bandaged killer soared with knives out, perhaps for wing purpose. But he soon made an incredibly fast descent right behind the brunette lady.

                And with a quick thrust of the arm the horrid deed was done. The knife flew through the brunette woman's throat. Killed instantly, the lady fell onto the cold ground, her blood staining the French marble. Jack laughed insanely. After a couple minutes of laughing, the bandaged one quickly gathered as many shiny items off the poor woman's corpse. I.E, necklaces, rings, earrings, brooches, buttons, feathers off her hat, even the large bow on the back of her dress.

                Jack, once done pillaging and looting, fixed his gaze upon the blonde lady. In his ungainly posture, he did not do what the fair maiden expected him. He blinked, giggled, and leaped towards the balcony in which he came.

                "Hehehehehehehe! In case you wondering, fair lady I am indeed Jack the Slayer! Fare thee well! Hehehehehehe!" And with that, the green-coated felon vanished into the night.

                The blonde woman fell down on her calves and breathed. She blinked. Of coarse, the realization of the entire scene hadn't sunk in yet. Her friend was indeed lying dead on the floor. And strangest of all, Jack the Slayer, who was in the deepest dungeon as well, performed the heinous act. Could he have escaped?

** *

BLADES IN MOTION -A POWER STONE STORY- 

By Hypes

It was day now. Far into it actually. The sun now brilliantly lighted the alley. The green and white marble shined gloriously. But it was not a joyous scene. The constable, dressed in dark blue with a golden star badge, and several officers investigated the scene. The body was taken to a morgue for a 19th century version of an autopsy. Needless to say, there was quite the number of spectators. Manchians thronged the spot, trying to catch a glimpse of blood or a sign of action. And of coarse, there was the blonde woman. Lady Julia was her name, indeed a noble blooded Frenchwoman. But today she didn't look the part. She was ragged and weary. Dark spots lined her eyes once bright blue eyes. He hair was a disaster. It looked as if she had stayed awake the entire night.

                "Lady Julia. Could you tell us again who you saw that did this horrible crime?" The large constable asked.

                "I've told you a hundred times! It was Jack the Slayer! Bandaged freak with one horrid red eye and a long green coat!" Julia roared. She hurled her teacup of coffee to the marble floor, shattering it into a million porcelin pieces.

                "That's impossible Madam! He's in our toughest most secure cell as we speak!" The Constable reassured her.

                She wasn't buying it. "How many men do you know that can break their bones willingly?! He must have escaped! That is Jack the Slayer and if you don't believe me, mark my words, I'll do everything in my power to replace you with a competent constable!"

                The constable took a swallow. He hated dealing with important noble bloods. They want everything here and now. They don't have a clue of investigative work. He coughed and resumed his position. "No offence madam, but the only way that could be Jack as if he made another Jack somehow! You can even come into the dungeon and see for yourself! He is still there, I even checked myself this morning!"

                "Well see to it that you check again! Despite this industrial revolution we're living in, there are still magical forces at work!" Julia glared at him.

                "Ye-yes ma'am! If you'll kindly walk this way, I'll show you the dungeon and every aspect of it, and prove to you that there is no way that anyone –even Jack the slayer- could break out! It's one of the finest dungeons in all of Europe! Even the Falcon family of Britain has approved of it!" The Constable gestured with his enormous hands.

                "I don't care if king Louis the XIV sprout back to life this very instant and told me that dungeon is the finest in Heaven and Earth! I swear by my ancestry that that was Jack the Slayer!" Julia placed her ands on her hips.

                "Yes madam. You shall see for yourself." The Constable assured.

                "Yes. Oh! And be sure to fetch my cook, Gourmand, and tell him to ready Luncheon. I am absolutely famished." Julia commanded.

** *

                The Dungeon was dark. Only torches along the walls made light for any to dwell within. Several guards with the best rifles of the age stood watch between every cell. The dungeon tunnels were nothing more than brick veins underneath the earth. Each cell held a vile disgrace for a human being, each reaching their pitiful hands as far as they could outside the metal frames of the doors. Each hand lunged and attempted to grab Lady Julia as she passed, moaning and shouting in despair and lunacy. The noble held a disgusted look upon her pail face with every pass of a man. These confines were inhuman, brutal, and destructive. And yet were so the criminals that dwelled within. The constable had to whack a couple stray palms with his nightstick. The dungeon seemed to sprawl underneath the cold hard earth forever. But at the very bottom was the cell they were looking for. Few torchlights brought light to the last floor. Several groups of guards watched every inch. And at the end of this despicable hallway was a heavy stone door with a tiny rusted porthole. From down here, you could not tell what time it was, for it was always dark. Oh so dark…

                "Sir." The last group of guards bowed and stepped to the side as Julia and the constable walked forward. The constable placed his hand on Julia's shoulder, silently telling her to stop.

                "Is the Slayer still in the cell?" The constable asked.

                "Yes sir. Not even a roach could get through here without any one of us noticing here sir." A guard replied.

                "There you have it, my lady. But if you do not believe his word nor mine, maybe you should see for yourself." The constable said.

                "Look! I knew who I saw! And I swear as God as my witness, that Jack the Slayer killed my friend last night!" Julia shouted. The fire danced upon the torches on the wall. Julia blinked. She knew she was right.

                She placed her beautiful face near the porthole. This door was specially crafted for this cell. The door itself was a great stone block, and the porthole was from a ship. Rusted and decayed, three iron bars replaced the round glass. Julia's blue eyes looked back and forth, searching for something in the darkness within the cell. For all she could tell, there was nothing in there. She gave a weak smiled.

                Julia turned back towards the constable. "There is nothing in there constable! Nothing but the dark air!"

                The constable didn't even raise an eyebrow. "Place your sapphire brooch between the bars."

                Julia frowned. She placed her white-gloved fingers upon the blue brooch upon her red and white dress. She took a moment to feel it, recalling thoughts of it and her past. She blinked and scowled her eyes. With a quick nudge, she dislodged the brooch from her bosom and gently placed it between the bars.

                She once again turned to the constable and his men. "There. This had better be good!"

                "Just wait my lady." The constable replied.

                Julia turned back to the port. Ever slowly, she became closer and closer til the brooch before her chin was just millimeters from the sapphire. She watched it carefully, as if a phoenix were about to hatch from the stone. Slowly, I stress this for you cannot imagine how long this felt for Ms. Julia, something in the darkness stirred. Between the three iron bars, a white, bandaged hand slinked from the darkness and gently felt the brooch. A red eye opened within the cell. The hand carefully moved over every square millimeter of the sapphire, feeling out every nook and cranny. The eye became excited. Julia couldn't move. She was too afraid, too overwhelmed. The hand that killed her best friend was a millimeter before her face.

                "…Hehehehehehe. Pretty, shiny. Jack is pleased, no? Haha! Hehehe! Shiny…" The same childish, squeaky voice laughed.

                Julia threw herself backwards, away from the port and brooch. She stumbled into the constable's arms, falling over everything in sight.

                "Are you alright madam?" The constable inquired.

                "Let go of me you giant baboon!" Julia screamed. She was able to pick herself up and onto her own feet. She dusted herself off and struck the brick floor with her parasol.

                "…I told you he's been here the whole time. There is no way he could have gotten out. A snowball has a better chance in hell." The constable reasoned.

                "Are you calling me a liar?! There's got to be a way Jack got out! I know what I saw!" Julia stammered.

                "Pretty lady has met other Jack no? Hehehehehehe!" The infernal voice squealed.

                Julia glanced at the port to see the bandaged head and one eye of Jack on the other side of the bars. Yet there was something different. Julia caught herself staring at the malformed creature. She immediately inquired the constable.

                "Constable! How long has Jack had that bloody splotch on his bandages!?" Julia demanded to know.

                "The one on his forehead? Oh, he's had that the entire time we've had him. He had that before we caught him!" The constable recalled.

                "That's strange, Jack didn't have a bloody scar like that last night…" Julia put her elegant hand to her chin in thought.

                "That's because Other Jack doesn't have bloody forehead. Other Jack has clean forehead. Hehehehe. Other Jack is different from I. Other Jack is not same…Hahahahaha…" Jack spoke as he laughed.

                "Shut up fiend!" One of the guards shouted. Jack immediately pulled away into the darkness of his cell.

                "What's he talking about Constable?!" Julia swiveled on her heel to meet the officer.

                "I don't know. He's been babbling on and on since he got here about "Other Jack". He's just a damn loony." The constable revealed.

                Julia picked up her dress and walked as quickly as she could over to Jack's porthole. She peered inside. "Who is "Other Jack"?"

                Jack's red eye lit up again. The eye drew nearer so that the bandaged face came into the light. "Other Jack is other Jack. He is not I. I have been put in dungeon for Other Jack's killings. Hehehehehe. What would a pretty lady want with Other Jack? Other Jack kills pretty ladies. Hehehe…"

                "Are you saying that there are two of you?" Julia asked the one eyed Frenchman.

                "Jack and Other Jack are two different people, yes. Other Jack is not I. I get blamed for Other Jack's actions." Jack remarked.

                "…Where ...Where did Other Jack come from? Is he a brother of yours?" Julia inquired.

                "Other Jack is not my brother. I have no brothers. I have only myself. Hehehehehehe." Jack laughed. "Other Jack comes from shiny stone."

                "Shiny stone? …Do you mean a power stone?" Julia asked.

                "YES! That is it. MY power stone. My lovely power stone. BUT HE took it away! HE took away my lovely power stone!" Jack lunged forward, gripping the iron bars with all his might. Julia stumbled backwards.

                The constables rushed forward, raising their nightsticks. Julia picked herself up again and placed herself between the guards and Jacks wrapped fingers. "Stop!"

                "My lady, what on the good green earth do you think you're doing?! This is a mass murderer here!" The constable flared.

                "This man is innocent!" Julia explained. She calmed herself down as the guards lowered their sticks. "I'm not very knowledgeable in legends and myth, but there is a story in my family that dates back as far as my lineage dates. This story speaks of a stone that can make anything happen. The power stone!"

"Everyone knows about the power stones! But it's nothing but legend! You're saying that we should let a serial killer out because a mythical stone created a second one that is actually doing the killings. I should think not madam." The constable defended.

"Look here Constable! You're talking to a noble! You should know better than to speak to one better than your self in that kind of tone!" Julia frowned.

"When it comes to other peoples lives, I have to follow my own path. I'm sure the next constable you get will feel the same way. My men won't let him out." The constable sneered.

Julia placed her parasol in her hands firmly. "Look, I've got an idea. We summon any adventurers with experience of the power stone. Jack is the only one that can get rid of this "Other Jack". You have them keep tabs on Jack and we get rid of this other man who is causing the killings."

"You won't find a man that has experience with the power stones. The power stones are nothing but myth. There is no Other Jack, 'tis just a copycat of Jack. And even if it were another Jack the Slayer, several of my men could easily take him." The constable said.

"If Other Jack truly is born from the power stone, than he is much more powerful than you can possibly imagine. Only proper adventurers and Jack here would be able to stop him. And I shall see clearance of this man, under my watch." Julia eyed the constable.

"Your doing nothing more than ensuring the deaths of more innocent girls. Do not tell me I didn't warn you." The constable opened the far door to the hall they came through. "Go get your own clearance papers yourself."

"Harumph. I shall. Good Day!" Julia scoffed. She then turned towards Jack inside the cell. "Do not worry. We shall put a stop to this "Other Jack"."

"…Hehehehehe. Pretty woman is brave but foolish. I cannot fight Other Jack alone. Ohohoho." Jack warned.

Julia turned her face up high and walked out the door. The Constable watched her go and then closed the cell room door. The guards resumed their posts.

Jack held the sapphire into the torchlight. "…Shiny. Shiny items and fair maidens are what Jack loves. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

** *


	2. II

It wasn't long before all of Europe was gossiping about the news. The noble Swan family of Manches was in need of help and any adventurer who had dealt with the legendary power of the power stones was wanted. And, of coarse, there was a rather large award.

Julia was only able to cancel Jack's hanging. He wasn't allowed out until the hired help arrived. As you are probably quite aware, the people of Manches weren't just ready yet to have Jack the Slayer crawling through the streets again. Julia ended up visiting Jack as often as she could spare, and every time Jack was as deranged as the last.

As for the adventurers, well, they showed up all right. By the bushels. Any man and woman who could do as much as wield a pitchfork came knocking at the House of Swan. However, most turned down instantly when they heard they would work with the infamous Jack. But those he did manage to swallow that were turned down when asked for proof of a voyage with the power stone. Julia was becoming desperate.

One autumn's day, when the leaves outside were turning red and gold and falling from the tree limb's branches, Julia found herself in a desolate state. She couldn't keep paying the Dungeon keepers to keep Jack alive, and Other Jack had struck several more times. Each fatality was a maiden, and each had been killed by a swipe through the neck.

Julia, in a much better state than the day we met her, sighed as she leaned on her elbow. She sat in her large red and white dress. Her hat and parasol were absent, she was inside after all. She sat in a large chair at the end of an enormous table. She was the only member of her family left in Manches. Most of her family had moved to Paris several years ago. The great hall she sat in was as wide and tall as any banquet hall in any king's castle. The walls were a heavenly white, and the floors a reflective mahogany. Julia's big blue eyes were lost in thought. There had to be some way of attracting an actual power stone adventurer.

In walked a short, stout fat French cook. He had enormously large buckteeth and thick black hair. His bright blue and white polka dotted shirt and white apron reflected a man of simple tastes, but not when it comes to food. 

"Madam! Your roast hen is completed! Come! You must join in this feast fit for a queen!" The chef brought in a silver platter on which sat a cooked bird as fat and juicy as any game fowl ever cooked.

"Not now Gourmand. I am not hungry…" Julia sighed.

"But madam! It is suppertime and I have prepared for you the finest roasted game fowl in the history of cooking! Come you must eat!" Gourmand placed the platter in front Julia.

"I said I wasn't hungry." Julia said with anger. Gourmand brought his wooden spoon to his face in defense.

He then lowered it after Julia went back to being in a miserable mood. "What is the matter Ms. Swan? Is there something troubling you?"

"Nothing of your concern Gourmand." Julia stated sternly.

"Come now! You can tell old Gourmand anything. I hate to see such a pretty face in such bad misery eh." Gourmand waved his spoon around.

Julia faced the cook. His large red eyes were so friendly. She smiled, the first time in weeks. "Gourmand, your always such a friend…"

"Of coarse madam. I've always loved the Swan family like my own. Now tell old Gourmand your worries." Gourmand smiled.

"…It is this whole criminal investigation. I have absolutely no support from anyone! I can't seem to locate any actual adventurers, and these killings continue across Manches! I-I can't even go outside anymore for the shame brought upon me!" Julia shared.

Gourmand sat down in a fine wooden chair. He tapped his large wooden spoon against the table in thought. "I believe you Ms. Julia. And you just have to believe in yourself! And I think I know how to solve your problems!"

Julia looked up from the table with a look of surprise upon her face. She lowered an eyebrow as she asked. "How?"

"Mr. Falcon of coarse! That family has been nothing but adventuring for ages! He's the most famous adventurer in all of Britain, I'd think he'd know about the power stone…" Gourmand twisted his thick moustache.

"Of coarse… Leave it to fate to choose Falcon as the only man on Earth available…" Julia sighed.

"I detect a bit of hostility no? Is there something wrong with the Falcon family?"

"There is nothing wrong with the Falcon family. There's just something wrong with Falcon. That man is the most rustic, coarse, lumpish, ungraceful, loutish, disorderly, boorish, uncultured, indecorous, slovenly, ribald member of any family on this planet. I've known Americans more mannerly than that buffoon!"

"I thought you always liked Mr. Falcon. You were even courted by the man!"

"That was a long time ago…" Julia sighed.

Gourmand tapped his large spoon against the banquet table once more in thought. "Well my lady, it really doesn't sound like you have much of a choice."

"I know… the heavens can be so cruel…"

"Trust me madam. It will all work out."

"I hope so Gourmand. I hope so…" 

** *

It wasn't very long after that the Falcon manner had received a letter. The Falcon manner was located within the shining capitol of the British Empire, Londo. The city was absolutely fantastic. Large paved streets and sidewalks where the finest of civilized society promenaded. The skies were not as soiled as one would think. Londo was the capitol of the industrialized world, but their towers of ungainly smoke were hidden deep within the slums and destroyed sections of the city. Well, we shall not go there. The Falcon family estate was a large house, not nearly the size of the Swan's mind you, but larger than any common folk's humble abode. A little iron fence ran its way around the house, guarding it from the pavement and street before. Several people walked in front of the house every day in order to proceed to the tailor, the shoemaker, or the accountant.

The manor itself was empty, save two. The only people that actually lived there were Falcon, his father the famous Pride Falcon, and the butler. And as it turned out on this fateful autumn day, Falcon senior was out. He had been out for several months now on some grand voyage across the sea in the tropical forests of South America. Thus left only two souls to inhabit the great house. Well, you can figure out who's there.

Falcon was not his actual name, this adventurer. However, no one seemed to actually know his true name, and so he went by Falcon. Today, on this bright morning, he smiled as he dressed himself in the usual red aviators suit. He hummed happily as he placed his goggles on his forehead. And he was overall merry as he put on his dark tanned gloves and boots.

The butler could only smile as the playful adult danced around the bedroom. Falcon spun the coat rack in a waltz while he hummed a most ridiculous tune out loud. His blue eyes sparkled with merriment indeed.

"Ahem. Master Falcon, it is time to break fast. Your meal is on the table downstairs." The thin butler dressed in black said.

"Graves! I've the merriest of news! Julia wishes to see me again!" Falcon laughed. In his hand he showcased the fancy envelope to the butler.

Graves nodded. "Julia was that French girl?…"

"Oh yes! The blondest of hair, the bluest of eyes! You could gaze into those bright blue pools of beauty all day… Her elegant figure, her pure skin, and her enchanting voice. We were crazy lovers whom did everything under the sun and still managed to do more! She and I were meant for each other!" Falcon explained excitedly.

"So then what happened between the two of you?" Graves protruded.

"…I don't know Graves. I just know that I ended it upon good terms. She wanted to stay in Manches and I, well you know. The adventuring spirit of the Falcon flows through this family's veins! She couldn't understand that…But all that doesn't matter now. She wishes to see me again!"

Graves quickly snatched the letter away from the giddy man. His large white eyebrows furrowed intently as he examined the letter.

"This sounds of the most utmost importance! She requests that you leave immediately!"

"I know Graves. I've read that wonderful letter a hundred times and I've only had it for an hour. Come help me pack my bags! We've got to get to the Hockenheim before midday!" 

"Master Falcon, I do not think she met that early. Do at least have your breakfast first!"

"No time Graves! Got to rush to the airfield!"

Falcon grabbed the last suitcase and stuffed it with whatever clothing remained in his room. He grinned at the old butler as he placed it over his shoulder. Graves frowned and sighed. He gently placed the envelope back into Falcons hand.

"…I presume I'll be watching the house while your at leave?" Grave inquired.

"Of coarse Graves! I must run! See you later! YIPEE!" Falcon ran out the door with his suitcases in hand. He nearly killed himself going down the stairs and almost knocked the front door clean off its' hinges. Out in the street, he leaped up and clicked his heels in air. Graves had never seen the blonde pilot so happy.

As Falcon raced down the street singing a ballad to his one love Julia, children chased him, skipping and laughing to the merry man's beat. People passed him in the street and waved good day. Falcon even tossed gold coins into the local beggars hat. He had defiantly an air around him of cheeriness. 

** *

Julia paced in circles, thinking about what she had done. The golden and crimson leaves were still clinging to the neighboring trees. The sky was a cold blue. Not a cloud was in the sky. The great Swan mansion was eagerly awaiting visitors. Time had passed since the letter was sent, and the autumn months were coming to a close. November had just begun and a bitter frost struck the city with an iron fist. Every blade of grass outside the good woman's window had a blanket of crystals completely encasing it. The mallards were about to fly south for the winter, but still found the ponds free of ice. The good people wore about them scarves of fur and coats of down to protect their elegant bodies from the cold. When I say elegant, I mean the upper class, the noble people of Manches. In truth, many of the denizens of this fair town wore nothing but rags and old used blankets to keep themselves warm this kind of year. Nor did they have a bite to eat. But they were content so far with the fact that their heads had not been sliced clean off their necks and face a Christmas tree without a head to place their reserved Christmas bonnets on.

Julia was too busy to think of the poor or Christmas time. As I stated before, the affectionate young lady was pacing in circles, dragging her long, white dress behind her. The butler was going mad while the janitorial staff sobbed. Her fine, expensive Italian shoes were wearing themselves thin along with the floor. Today had to go just right. Julia kept thinking to herself that very equation. For some reason, despite her inward despising of Falcon, she felt that nothing could go wrong. The town, Jack, and her reputation were on the line. She softly bit her pink lip in anticipation. What if something were to go wrong? What if he doesn't take the job? Many undesirable thoughts ran through her head like a horseless carriage on a long empty street.

As if on cue, the great chimes in the house bellowed all at once. DONG DONG DONG DONG. Some one was at the door. Poor Julia's heart skipped a beat as she leaped in the air. She was already halfway across the banquet hall before she realized what she was doing. She instantly stopped herself and awaited the butler to answer. She begged the butler to hurry it up, pick up the pace, and liven his step. Nose ever high, the French butler did nothing of the sort, but walked in a much more dignified manner than the frustrated Ms. Swan towards the giant doors. She marked his steps in her head. One two three. One two three. One two three. Damnit man, answer that door! She wanted to scream, but did nothing more than sit herself in the nearest Russian chair and dig her nails in to the imported lining. Finally, after what seemed like years of agonizing torture, the butler reached the door. He adjusted his purple jacket and pulled each finger on his white gloves till each finger sat snuggly inside. Only then did he answer the door.

Falcon stood questionably in front of the door. Being not of the more sophisticated specie himself, Falcon constantly shifted his weight from one foot to another as he waited for the butler to do something.

"Ah…Mr. Falcon is it? The lady of the house awaits your arrival." The butler said in a nasal voice.

"Yes, Julia. I received her letter and I came here because, well you know, she invited … me …back…here. Um, yea…" Falcon rubbed his neck.

The butler raised an eyebrow. "Like I said, Ms. Swan is expecting you. Do come in."

"Right. That's what I was about to do. Couldn't trick you old buddy." Falcon winked at the butler as he stepped inside the Swan estate. The entry was a grand hallway, made of several high arcs that domed the ceiling. Falcon had seen the house before, but couldn't stop himself from marveling at the size of it all once more.

Julia saw Falcon in his red aviators suit, bumbling around in the entry like a confused commoner coming to see the king. She sighed as she was reminded that she was dealing with Falcon, the most common of nobles. She put on a smile and walked in to the entry.

"Ah, Mr. Falcon, I trust your trip to my humble manor was a safe one?" Julia addressed the man.

Falcon looked to the woman who was addressing him. He became lost in her luscious blue eyes. Seeing her again was like stepping to the golden gates of heaven and not having the precocious arrangements of meeting an untimely demise first. Upon noticing a puzzled look appear on her brow, his tongue stumbled upon the words to say.

"Uh Hey Julia, err…Ms. Swan. So nice it is again to see you! You look as beautiful as ever, if not even more than the last time we met." Falcon kneeled down before Julia to kiss her extended hand.

With a silent quick look of disgust, she promptly retracted her arm before an awkward moment ensued. Unfortunately, the speed of it all managed to bring about an awkward moment as well. Darting her blue eyes back and forth, just to think of a way to present the topic, she hesitated.

"…Oh what do I owe this visit to, Julia?"" Falcon slurred.

Julia smiled. Falcon was turning as red as his coat, leaving his blue eyes alone in a red world. She could tell that he was feeling as odd about this meeting as she. Yet he perceived it from another angle.

"Falcon you must be exhausted after your… how did you arrive, if I may ask?" Julia shrugged.

"I arrived by the masterful Hockenheim! The great red eagle of the sky that sweeps me from land to land!" Falcon said enthusiastically.

"Yes…that "air plane"." She fumbled the words airplane. It was still new and not many people had ever seen the flying contraption. The times were of the early 1890's, and the laughable mockery of a wooden bird was only true in few forms. They say that only Britain and the United States were able to afford such wonderful machines. But the rest of the world was content with coal powered iron ships and railway cars. "Anyway, as I was saying, you must be exhausted by your flight. Do give me the honor of freshening up a bit. My staff would be happy to oblige! Afterwards we can talk during a tuck of dinner."

Without thought, Falcon raised his arm to see if he really did smell. "I am a bit tired after the trip over the English channel. But I wish to catch up with you a bit!" Falcon pleaded.

"We shall have plenty of time over dinner!" Julia pretended to smile. She clapped her hands together and looked towards her janitorial staff. "Come on now, we have a guest to clean!"

With many a "Yes ma'am!" the staff managed to drag the Brit up the marble flight of stairs and away to the many bathing rooms.

Julia frowned. Falcon was here and he hadn't changed one bit…


	3. III

The great adventurer Falcon may have been a noble, let me assure you, but he still found it rather odd to be bathed by other people. The French and their customs baffled the aviator as they cleaned his underarm, his nose, and, of coarse, behind his ears. The French found this most amusing, let me tell you! With every single brush or scrub, Falcon reacted in a way as if trying to save his soul. Ah, the bathing room was a fine piece of architecture. The ceiling was coated in a mural of angels trumpeting the good lord in a beautiful fan fare. The people of earth happily celebrated God's greatness on the warm green grass. There were chips in the paint, and cracks in the marble it was painted on. This could tell Falcon that it was an old painting from possibly the late renaissance area. This was an old, well-known manor. It wouldn't be too surprising. The tub, below the domed ceiling of God, was built into the floor. Made of fine Italian marble, white naturally with streaks of gray running through, the bathtub was large enough to fit ten Falcons. Red pillars sat in the four corners upholding the roof. Fine sinks with running water adorned the wall, with exquisite mirrors circumference by gold. Twas a grand restroom, worth several thousand, if not million, pounds. The only other house Falcon had witnesses such splendor in the rest room was the governor of India's, whose abode was fifteen times grander than any of the princes of that same commonwealth.

The only problem with this bathroom was the many many people constantly scrubbing away at Falcon's fine physique. He swatted once or twice in an attempt to grab a brush, but failed every time.

"Alright guys! I'm clean! You can stop now! Ow! Hey, watch out! I'm delicate!" falcon shouted.

The staff ignored his many pleads and moans until he was a sparkling gentleman. Once the wash was over, Falcon was saddened by the loss of his aviators suit. The red clothing had been sent to the laundry's version of the rack and sentenced to death by clean. Falcon, stark naked save the towel around his waist, sighed as he watched his famous suit being tortured in the laundry roller.

Next it was time to get dressed. Being told that his suit was not proper to wear in front of the lady Swan, Falcon was forced to wear the thing he hated the most. He frowned as he looked at himself in fifteen mirrors of all sizes and places in a small, green-carpeted room. The lighting was provided by Mr. Tesla and Mr. Edison's famous electricity and light bulbs, which sat comfortably in the fixture upon the red ceiling.

"Oh man. I feel all weird in this monkey suit." Falcon moaned. He tightened the black bow tie upon his neck and constantly fidgeted with the tails upon his tuxedo. Admit tingly, he did look rather well for an adventurer.

It had been most of the afternoon and Falcon was now even more exhausted than before. Night had fallen upon Manches once again. Early evening drew its cloak over the city, forcing the human beings to flip the switches, pull the chains, and light the candles. The street lamps were just turning on as most people made their way home. It was night and the murderer might be out again.

But Falcon and Ms. Julia hadn't fear the night stalker right now for they were deep within the lair of the Swan family, and only the crazy people would strike a house like this. But then again, Jack or Other Jack was a crazy psychotic fiends.

Julia sat at the end of the long banquet table. Her blonde curls were framed by a diamond tiara that beautifully matched her silver earrings and white banquet gown. She looked extravagant take my word for it. Gourmand was just finishing the final preparations on his wonderful roast duck with fresh leeks. He kissed his fingers and blessed the fowl that would soon be a part of an important meeting. After all, Gourmand had gotten Julia into this mess with master Falcon and he intended to make sure it went well.

"Mousier Duck, do taste well tonight. Fatten up that British adventurer and make sure he agrees to anything the good girl has to say." Gourmand placed his wishes on the feast.

Julia tapped her fingers once again on the banquet table. Surly no doubt that Falcon will want to bring up the old days. Days of love and romance. Days upon the old rowboat on a spring afternoon, drifting underneath a weeping willows green vines. Days Julia would rather not talk about.

"That damned adventurer…" She moaned. "He was always coming and going, treating me like a story book of which he can come visit when ever he pleases."

"Ahem!" the butler cleared his throat loudly. He emerged at the far end of the hall with a very clean and nicely dressed Falcon. He turned to Falcon and gestured with his hands to find a seat. Falcon smiled a nervous smile, not knowing exactly what to say. Which chair do I pick? Which chair do I choose? He found himself thinking these questions at the speed of a train.

Julia watched Falcon with determined eyes. Oh please don't let him sit right here! Please don't! She silently prayed. Both had their fears and ambitions, but they were also both silent.

Falcon found himself a chair about three down from Julia. He pulled it out, adjusted the tails on his tux, and sat himself down. Once down, he clasped his fingers together and looked towards his host. His most beautiful host.

"So Mr. Falcon, …how's been life?" Julia stuttered. She instantly hated herself for saying it.

"Please, call me Falcon, remember?" Falcon insisted.

"Ah, yes. Falcon." Julia pretended to smile.

"Quite. Oh…I can't complain really. Pride's out on another quest –he's seeking the out the famous soldiers of China, you know. – and I've been enjoying life in Londo to my pleasure. Taking it easy…"

"Pride…your father right?"

"Of coarse! Julia, it sounds like you've forgotten everything about me over these long years!"

Gourmand entered the hall, showcasing his latest masterpiece, the roast duck. Now, this duck was not the kind of small mallard you're thinking of. This duck was the size of a goose! Incredible in size it was that in life it must have snapped both legs every time it tried to walk!

"Lady Julia, Master Falcon. Dinner I served. Roast duck with fresh leeks! From our own garden!" Gourmand smiled.

"It looks marvelous Gourmand! You've really outdone yourself this time!" Julia complemented.

"All for you Julia." Gourmand winked. "All for you." He then started a tune to himself and carried his fat weight towards the kitchen door.

"Man! Would you look at this bird! It's enormous!" Falcon was really impressed.

"It is rather fat isn't it? He must have been a giant among ducks in the pond!" Julia giggled.

"Giant? He must have been colossal to the other ducks! Other ducks probably mistaken him for a sea serpent!" Falcon laughed.

"He certainly is huge! Hahahaha! This must be his power stone stage!" Julia laughed.

Falcon reclined in his chair and looked at Julia, who was still laughing. "You mentioned power stones?"

"Hahaha! Oh…yes I did. I know just as much about myth and lore as you do Mr. Falcon!" Julia teased the aviator.

"Oh really! Then who are the soldiers of China?" Falcon begun a test.

"Several statues un earthed near Beijing!" Next?"

"Good. What is Quetzaquotal?"

"A god to the primitive savages of ancient Mexico! Surly you can do better, adventurer!"

"Ha! I'll make good sport of you yet! The Mantis god belongs to which people?"

"…The…Bush people of the Kalahari!"

"Haha! Good Julia! You really know your anthropology!"

"As I know zoology and biology! My father has one of the most extensive animal collections in Europe!"

"As does any noble man of this age! Did you know that a Great Auk today goes for over six thousand pounds!"

"Father has one stuffed in his collection! You may be wise in the ways of zoology and anthropology Mr. Falcon! But are you knowledgeable in the fields of the Earth?" Julia pointed her fork at Falcon.

The duck was fabulous, and there was plenty left. Falcon made sure to eat as much as he could. "Of coarse! I am knowledgeable in Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral!"

"Pirates of Penzance? What a wonderful play. I'm surprised you've seen it."

"I am a man of culture aren't I?"

"Hardly. Well, go on man! Describe your geological skills!"

"Well, I am all knowing in valuable gems! I can pick out a gold vein a mile away by its scent only! Why, just last year I visited Dawnbolta and inspected the entire silver production line! Had a bit of a scruff with the head miner, a ruffian by the name of Gunrock. My skills have gotten me porcelain from China, Oil from Persia, and Diamonds from Africa!"

"Diamonds and Oil are one thing, but do you have any in depth information on power stones?" Julia popped the big question.

"I never thought you'd ask my good woman! Power stones are my forte, my expertise! I've even held the great stone of Avalon Island!" Falcon put emphasis on every word.

"Really, I've not a clue what the great stone is or where Avalon Island is, but it certainly sounds inspiring!"

"It certainly is! The great stone is a power stone the size of …the size of one of these chairs! It's located deep within a shrine on Avalon Island, in the Bering Sea."

"My, what an awful place! But tell me, is what they say about power stones true! Can it really…you know?" Julia put herself into a whisper.

"Grant wishes? Why yes it can! I've known a few capable adventurers that snagged themselves a power stone. They instantly achieved happiness!"

"Wow… So Mr. Falcon, what did you wish for?"

Falcon looked into Julia's bright blue eyes, taking an internal sigh at her immense beauty. "I…I wasn't able to make a wish. I lost the power stone when the shrine of Avalon collapsed on itself."

Julia suddenly felt a sting of pity for the man. She glanced solemnly at the man, who had stopped gorging upon the roast duck all together. Sometimes he can be fun, she decided. Mayhap it was all these lonesome years that brewed so much hate for the man. However, she wasn't about ready to jump into his arms. She still had many dark feelings about Mr. Falcon.

Julia waited a minute or two. She hadn't really decided how she was going to word it, or to say it at all. It took her tongue a great deal of strength to finally utter the words she needed.

"Well Falcon. If what you say is true, and I can tell it is, then I have a proposition for you."

"A proposition?" Falcon questioned.

"That's right. A proposition. You have by no doubt heard of the serial killings that have plagued Manches for several months, am I correct?"

"I have heard, but by whom I haven't."

"Exactly! No one knows for sure who's doing the killings! At first, we all thought it was a psychotic leper by the name of Jack the Slayer, but-"

"Jack the Slayer?! I met up with a man dressed completely in bandages a year ago! He was definably a loon and always carried two large knives! Had I any idea that the Jack I met was Jack the Slayer, why, I would have killed him when I had the chance!" Falcon interrupted.

"Well Falcon, let me finish! It's amazing you've met Jack before, but he's been imprisoned a while ago. About four months, in late August. He currently is being held captive in the strongest cell within the Manches Dungeon. However, he's innocent! There is another leper that is killing the women at night and looting their bodies! I've…I've had a run in with this man myself. He took my best friends life four months ago. …I visited Jack in the dungeon and learned that the killer goes by the name of Other Jack. Jack mentioned a power stone and that Other Jack was born from it. For months I've been trying to hire any adventurers with experience in the power stone field that would help me capture Other Jack and prove Jack innocent! You are my only hope…Falcon."

Falcon tipped his chair backwards a bit as he leaned from the table. He had the look of deep thought upon his face.

"Please?" Julia begged.

One look into those blue eyes was all Falcon needed. He leaned forewords again and rested his elbows upon the table. "So this is the reason you summoned me from Great Britain? …All right. I'm a little hurt, but I'll take it for you. Though I can see why other adventurers turned you down. Jack was dangerous and difficult without the power stone a year ago near the White Sea, where I met Kraken. Facing a Jack born from the stone will surly be most difficult. But if there's one man that can do it, it's me!"

"Oh thank you!" Julia jumped up from her chair.

"Right. …uh…I'm going to need some money to do this." Falcon rubbed the back of his neck.

"What for? Never mind, I don't care! As long as you can rid us of this killer!"

"All right. First I'll need provisions, then …tickets. Ship tickets to be exact!"

"Ship tickets? Other Jack is here, not on the other side of the Atlantic!"

"Yes, yes I know."

"Why do you need ship Tickets?!"

Falcon sighed. "Look, normally I'd handle this killer by my self. No piece of cake. No sweat. But I don't want to lose him in a dark alley, so I'll need some help. The best adventurer seasoned in the power stone field!"

"But you won't need another person! You'll have Jack to work with!" Julia expressed.

Falcon stepped backwards. "J-Jack?! You want me to work with Jack!"

"Yes I do want you to work with Jack! Jack's the only one who knows everything about Other Jack! You'll need him!"

"And I have to keep an eye on him so he doesn't scurry off or try to stab me in the back?"

"I doubt he'll stab you in the back, but yes, you'll have to keep an eye on him. The citizens of Manches aren't too eager for Jack to get back on the streets. They don't trust him…"

"I can see why…"

"Falcon! If you're going to help prove Jack not guilty, you'll have to believe it yourself!" Julia stomped her foot.

"O.K. O.K… I got it."

"Jack's really not that bad! Really!"

"All right! Must find a powerful slayer and keep Jack at bay…Better make that a couple ship tickets.

** *


	4. IV

The sky was an eternal blue, turning darker as it neared its summit. White mountains of clouds rolled in a massive structuring as an ocean. The air was cold and windless. Yet it was still a majestic scene.

Yet even mightier than the high skies was the almighty Zeppelin. An enormous visage, by sure. Truly an amazing sight. A grand balloon shaped as an enormous bullet carried the tiny cargo of human beings in a container below. The air reverberated when the monster passed, high above any ground. The balloon itself must have been eight or nine stories tall. Striping of black shot down the length of the balloon until the massive propeller and rudder fins. The container, which looked like a long two story tall box with windows, swung gently underneath the massive package of hot air.

Many people were aboard this behemoth. People of all races, but of one class. The rich and wealthy boarded this vessel in hopes of reaching new lands. Servers walked down the halls, offering food and drink to any who would like it. A Titanic of the sky, the Argentina soared as a god. To those inside, it felt as if they were in a train car. They walked about, touring the mighty craft, sat at tables in the dining hall, gambled in the casino, and were overall merry. Please, you must understand the awe inspiring magnitude of this vessel for there was one, much like yourself, had never seen such a thing.

She was small. Her black hair was held in a bun by long, oriental sticks. Her bangs attempted to cover her large black eyes. She wore unusual clothing, at least to Western train of thought, as she was obviously Asian. Her short green robe was adorned by white images of swirling clouds, much like the ones outside the window she was peering out of. Her sash tied into a great bow in the back, completing her outfit with wooden sandals. Ayame had the largest smile in the world upon her face.

As I said before, she peered out the window, gazing out upon the giant rolling clouds. Her face was practically pressed upon the window. Ayame, being a commoner herself, had never seen such things. The farthest from the ground she had ever been before this trip was upon the limb of a tree, honing her ninja skills. Several Europeans and American that acquired a vast amount of wealth, through birth or work, had glanced over the little girl as the walked past. The server had past by, thinking weather to offer the charming girl a drink or not, but had decided not to. Anyways, to the point, Ayame was indeed impressed with the majesty of it all.

"I still says it's all unnatural! 'Taint right for a human being to be off the ground. Especially this high! I can't even see the ground!" An old, short wrinkled Asian woman complained as she peered out the window alongside Ayame.

"Grandma! Look outside and be quiet! Just look at the beauty of it all! It just makes me all light hearted inside!" Ayame said.

"The spirits are angry! I can tell! They're mad because us mortals now pretend we're God and flying in the air! All these foolish Westerners and they're technology! I don't like neither of `em!"

"Well you certainly like to pick their pockets, Grandma. Why don't you ward off evil spirits with your stickers!"

"Don't have any reason to ward them off girly! We're in their house now."

A Caucasian mad, dressed in blue from head to foot, walked towards the two ladies. In his right hand were several tickets. The ticket collector, he was.

"Ahem. Do you fine ladies have your tickets?" The man asked.

Ayame turned away from the window to witness the man. She smiled and placed her hand in her pockets, searching for the stubs.

"Ayame, you have those tickets that lousy western invader sent us, right?" Granny spoke.

"Uh …Err …I have them somewhere in here, I promise…." Ayame nervously laughed. The ticket collector raised an eyebrow.

"Darn it Ayame! Don't tell me you've lost the tickets! This westerner here is probably waiting for the slightest excuse to slit our throats and steal our land!" Granny shouted.

"Excuse me good lady, but I'd never even think about taking land from my passengers. I do, however, intend on taking their tickets! Now present them to me or I'll be forced to take drastic measures." The man said in a rather irritated speech.

"I honestly do have them! Where could they be?!" Ayame said nervously.

"Hurry up Ayame! This ain't no wagon or train! We can't jump out whenever we please!" Granny shouted.

"SHUT UP GRANNY BEFORE I STRIKE MY SHURIKEN IN YOUR HEART!" Ayame burst.

"Bring it on little girl! You're not even a ninja yet!" Granny egged her granddaughter on.

"Ladies?" The man asked.

"You're two feet tall! I could step on you and end your stupid mouth's talking forever!" Ayame shot.

"You can't even throw a shuriken! Hell, you couldn't even throw a brick!" Granny spat.

"Ladies?" The man pleaded.

"The last time you could throw a shuriken was a hundred years ago!"

"And I can still throw it better than you today!"

"Ladies?!"

"The only thing you're good for is being a stepping stool!"

"It's a wonder at all that you brought back a power stone! I thought you were going to bring home a lump of coal!"

"Ladies?!"

"Old frog!"

"Bitch!"

"LADIES!" the ticket collector screamed.

The two woman had clutched each other's necks and were going for a strangling death. Both looked towards the screaming man with hell burning in their eyes.

"WHAT?!" they shouted with as much evil aura as a trip to hell.

The man backed down and started to whimper. "N-never mind…" He then scurried away to some dark part of the Zeppelin.

The two ladies backed off of each other, still heated mad. Ayame placed her hands in a cross over her chest as Granny dug her fists into her pockets.

"Eh? What's this?" Granny spoke as she pulled out two Zeppelin tickets.

Ayame turned around with a surprised look on her face. "Wha?! You mean you had them the whole time?!"

Granny shrugged. "You must have given them to me at the station and I forgot all about them. Ha ha!"

Ayame fell over with the whole idiocy of it all.

** *

The zeppelin had been in flight for quite some time now. It would take a long time, Ayame theorized, to cross half of the planet. But this time she wasn't on her feet. Sure she had taken trains, horseless carriages, ships, and even a steer one time (the vast fields of America's interior was nothing but steer and flat land for thousands of miles.). Secretly, she was excited about this trip. Her family and clan were important to her, sure, but once she had gotten out into the world, she yearned for more of it.

I am quite sure that you are knowledgeable in what I am speaking of. The late nineteenth century was a hotbed for discovery, innovation, and excitement. But the feudal country of Japan had refused to partake in the miracles of science. The rest of the world had discovered antibiotics, aviation, hydraulics, coal-powered ships, trains that spanned continents like enormous spider webs. Grapeshot, the machine gun, and basic rocketry had emerged as well as photography, telegraphs, Morse code, and silent films. However, like I said before, Japan refused to act. The island nation sealed itself within its own walls, shunning contact from the outside world for generations. Even the great nation of China was moving forth into factories and engineering. Korea was doing the same as France's claims to Indochina produced goods by the ton. Even the super power Russia was expanding itself across the northern wastes of Asia. Japan was indeed far behind, and the samurai lords wished it to be that way. The sword and wagon were still the trademarks of Japanese culture, and Ayame knew this.

"Ayame!" Granny called from her chair.

Ayame had been peering at a traditional European couple that were discussing current event for quite some time. She sighed and picked up her cup of green tea.

"AYAME!" Granny finally screamed.

Ayame screamed in panic and leaped out of her chair. Finally noticing her very shot grandmothers chuckles, she frowned and sat back down on the lovely, craved German chair.

"Ayame, what are you staring at? Taint polite to stare, y'know?" Granny sipped her tea.

"Oh nothing Granny. Why did you decide to come anyways?" Ayame asked out of curiosity.

"…I'm getting old Ayame. Decided I'd like to see what was on the other side of the Ocean before I pass on."

"You know Granny… Those people over there are talking about how a man actually covered the globe in eighty days! You could do that!" Ayame smiled.

"Poppy cock! They're doing nothing but spreading gossip. It's impossible! Going around the world in eighty days… I'd be satisfied just seeing one part of the western world. Walking and we could have seen the sights of China!" granny fussed.

                "Oh the western world is great! There are so many people doing a thousand things! Life is always busy! They have huge cities made of stone, a thousand times larger than Oedo! You can take a train to just about anywhere! In France –that's where we're going!- They have a great city built over a river with an enormous metal tower! They just finished it when I got there for a world fair!"

                "A world fair? What the devil is that?"

                "Oh World fairs are great! People from all over the world come to one city and throw a giant festival! There was food and dancing and all sorts of weird machines that different people made. Tents are everywhere and there's people who will tell you your fortune and people who will sell you odd trinkets from their homelands and…and there was even something called a motion picture!"

                "A motion picture?"

                "It's unreal Granny! You sit down in a huge dark room and watch a wall! And on this wall was a man dressed in funny clothing doing odd things! But he really wasn't there!"

                "Sounds like bad magic to me! Probably had a conjurer summon a devil to lock the man in the wall! I'm going to need more stickers!"

                "Oh grandmother." Ayame sighed. "There are friendly people in the west to! I met Falcon in Britain – that's the country that owns more than half the world! – And I met a girl from British Persia, and a man from Mexico – that's in the New World, on the other side of the great ocean- and a huge man from British Canada! Canada is as far west as you can go!"

                "British people are fools. They keep sending over their business mean and their missionaries! It's damned annoying!"

                "Grandma! If you're going to enjoy the outside world, you need to have a positive attitude! Everything doesn't revolve around Nippon!" Ayame grew angry.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing! My own granddaughter putting the evil ways of the west before her own samurai lord! They must have enchanted you wish some kind of devil enchantment!" Granny dived into her sack, no doubt digging for her stickers.

                Ayame scowled and stomped away to a far spot on the zeppelin, a flight of stairs down and in the dining hall. The entire way she practically blew steam from her ears.

                "Evil demon enchantment! Ha! That's ridiculous!" Ayame growled. In truth, she was actually beginning to doubt devils, enchantment, or any thing of the like actually existed. The great philosophers and enlighten ones of Europe began to question everything, including magic, with a tool called the scientific method over a century ago. It was lunacy to believe in such things. Sure she had captured a power stone a year past. The stone was rumored to make any wish come true, but poor Ayame was never able to witness such an event. Although she ended up giving an alternate boulder to the samurai lord, her father kept the actual power stone. Since then she hadn't noticed any change. Her father had never made a wish upon it, and the same old mundane life crawled on. Sure there was her training as a ninja, but Ayame felt that the way of the ninja had died a long time ago. I her eyes, she was practicing a dead profession. 

                She sat herself down in a booth by a window once she had reached the dining hall. She placed her cheek upon her palms and gazed scornfully at the ground. Around the room, many westerners, in their elegant costumes of dress, milled about in their own luxurious business. Ayame sighed and felt her heart sink. She imagined her self in a grand European ball gown in side a giant palace, such as Versailles. It was her personal favorite castle. She imagined a gentle man in a fine British suit stepping towards her, his perfect reflection stepping through the floor. She imagined herself dancing the waltz to a phonograph, an invention she also loved, with a thousand other couples. Her father was nowhere to be seen and the samurai lord was missing. She smiled at the thought of this. She imagined driving the city streets in a horseless carriage, meeting the famed Sherlock Holmes (She had read Sir Doyle's dime novels while in Britain), and getting her portrait taken by famous French photographer. She imagined fighting train robbers while crossing the great plains of the United States, dancing in and Brazilian fiesta, and fighting the bulls in Mexico. By now her frustration had disappeared and she now had a great big smile on her face.

                "Excuse me ma'am." Came a voice with an odd accent.

                Ayame awoke from fantasyland to gaze at what looked like a masked cowboy. The man was tall, slender, and blonde. His blue eyes reflected through his mask underneath his hat. The man had a shawl on over his buttoned up shirt and tight fitting Levi's. He had his cowboy boots resting upon the table so that he was sitting in a reclined position in the booth. He smiled.

                "I couldn't help but notice your enormous smile. Where you going that makes you so happy?" the cowboy asked.

                Ayame looked skeptical at the man first, but feeling embarrassed for sitting in an occupied booth without saying anything, she decided to converse. "Away from home!"

                "Hooey! Sounds like family problems. Where ya from, girl? By the way, I'm Accel. John Accel, but everyone calls my Accel." Accel grinned.

                "Hi, I'm Ayame Uematsu."  She reached her hand over the table extending it outwards.

                "What in tar nation are you doing ma'am?" Accel asked.

                "A hand shake. Isn't it what you westerners do when they meet each other?" Ayame was confused.

                "Oh, a handshake! That's when two people meet to do business! In casual talk, we don't do hand shakes, us "westerners"." Accel smiled.

                "Ah… Well Accel, what's tar nation? Is that where you're from? I'm from Oedo, Nippon."

                "Nippon eh? You mean like Japan? Interesting. Tar nation is Texas miss Ayame. It's where I'm from. But I'm leaving there, got too many bad memories…"

                "Texas…that's a state in the U.S. You have family problems too huh?"

                "Had family problems. You see, my pa' was crippled in the war thirty years back, and my ma' had to everything her self. I didn't get to have a child hood."

                "I thought America was the best country in the world?! I thought everyone in America was happy. When I went there, I went through …Montana? Yea, the Montana territory. And everyone I met was happy."

                "That's cus there's three people in Montana! The war didn't touch them Yankees. Managed to hit every warm blooded Confederate though. I wasn't even born until ten years after the war and people then hated Yanks."

                Ayame bit her lip. This man was obviously very disturbed by some great war. A war unknown to her. From what she has heard during her trips through Europe that America was the place to be! Jobs for every man, a house for every woman, and food for every child. America had the biggest factories and largest navy. But what this man was talking about was different. Maybe he's just a disillusioned old fool. A twenty year old fool, but a fool never the less.

                "So, what's your problems?" Accel asked.

                "Oh my problems! …You see, I love the outside world, I mean outside Nippon. I love everything about western culture! The music, the clothing, everything! However, every one else in Nippon thinks that the west is nothing but demonic fools. I grow so tired of it; I get it constantly from everyone in my family! That's why I'm going to France, Manches to be exact, and staying a while with a friend. A Mr. Edward Falcon. He's not French though, he's British!" Ayame seemed to put emphasis on the fact that Falcon was British.

                "I'd run away if I got that all the time to. I America, all we do is want to take over all the banana republics and kill all the ingines."

                "Say…Accel, why do you wear that mask?"

                "Oh this thing. I'm a train rob… conductor. We wear these things. And I like to keep mine. Kind of like how an aviator always wears his goggles." Accel shrugged.

                Ayame decided then and there that this was a very odd man. He was cute and funny nevertheless, but very strange. Of coarse, she probably looks strange her self to all of these people.

                "Just another week before Manches…" Ayame sighed.

** *


	5. V

As the sun set in the old world, once again on Manches, and the clutches of night engulfing all in the east, the warm ball of fire began to rise over the skies of the Americas.

                A crow sleepily raised its head, taking in the first morning light. A cold breath escaped its beak, like a ghost in cold air. The first snow had fallen over night in the Alberta badlands and the crow had noticed. It picked its black-feathered torso up on dark scaly naked legs. With an ugly call, the crow took flight into the dawn sky.

                The crow began to soar high in the sky in order to reach the warmth of the glorious sun. Doing so, it passed over the great red mountains and scarred rocky valleys of the badlands. The fresh powder blanketed all but a few rocks and yellow and black tall grasses. A few gnarled bristle cone pines, aged with a thousand winters, reached towards the sun in attempts to rid themselves of the snow laden in their branches. Great herds of bison, colored white due to the snow, thronged the red boulders and valley sides. Pronghorn Antelope pranced through the morning meadows in a search for the morning's meal. The crow cared not for the bison, the antelope, nor the wild Asses that grazed upon the frozen crop of wild grass. If one were to not wake up due to over exposure to the cold element in the night, then it would be a different story. But from the bird's eye view, things didn't report that well. A bison would be a fest, enough food for perhaps a month. The old black bird cawed at the thought of such a splendor, but realized that odds of that were much too small. With the sun now beating upon the wings of the bird, it decided it was best to fly back down to earth and seek smaller prey.

                The rugged landscape was in the background as the crow soared a few feet above the snow-laden field. There were tracks in this field. Tracks always lead to prey. If only crows could smile. Following the tracks, the old bird discovered the maker, a fresh march hare. The beast had grown white with winter, even if it was November, and was in an attempt to hide in the white white snow. Fortunately, the crow was smarter than the average bird of prey. The crow reared its head up high in a dive position. But then it noticed a rival predator. In the grass was a stalking female coyote. No doubt gaining today's breakfast for her litter. Crows considered coyotes dumb rivals who did nothing but steal a dinner. But coyotes were strong and barbaric animals, a threat in the making. The crow decided that this rabbit was an impossible gain. To wrestle the coyote for it was ultimate doom. But it could make things hard for the coyote. The crow cawed as loud as it possible could, alerting the hare. The hare instantly made haste and rocketed across the vast meadow towards its burrow. The coyote sprang forth like a loaded sling. The crow merely watched the spectacle from the air as the coyote fought to keep up with the hare.

                A tall, red skinned man wearing several animal skins over his body was frustrated. His attempts at stalking the hare were foiled by the bothersome caws of a bothersome crow. The hare, and the coyote, shot away from the warrior chieftain known as Galuda and into the Canadian wilderness. Galuda looked to the early morning pink sky. The crow cawed triumphantly as it flew in circles around the Native American. Galuda narrowed his eyes. He picked up a small stone and placed it in a makeshift sling using his headband. The eagle's feather made the contraption seem ridiculous, but the long dark haired man was not one for looks. His powerful form made the sling even deadlier than normal, and with a quick thrust of his enormous arms, the stone shot forth like a bullet and struck the black bird in the sky. With a cry of death, the crow fell to the white earth.

                Galuda walked back to the village in which he resided in. Placed neatly in the red rocked valley of the Alberta badlands, giant natural walls help make for defense. In all, there were fifty so Indians working or just waking up. The children were still snug in bed inside the animal skinned teepees whilst the mothers began to cook the most important meal of the day. As Galuda walked into the village grounds, the dead crow slung in is hand, the dogs immediately bounced to the man's heels. A crow, he decided, was no trophy. But he was going to skin it anyways, simply because the bird annoyed him. By now you probably have assumed that Chieftain Galuda is a man of short temper, few words, and strict action I presume. Well if you did, you would be correct. However, he had a heart of gold and was respected by every man for miles. The fires in front of the teepees were still small, and the women starting them were still rubbing their hands and breathing a mist of vapor to warm their hands. The waking men were preparing the horses that the Red Hand tribe had acquired over the years. They were horses of all kinds, wild white mustangs to stolen brown cavalry. Being in the British state of Alberta had several advantages over being in any state in the United States of America. The Great Plains Indian wars were just ending and the true Americans had lost. Of coarse, the victory over Custer had left a smile on every Indians face on the continent. Galuda recalled the events of a white man from Custer's regiment, leading a battalion of men to exterminate the tribes of the Montana territory. A one armed man who used a wicked disease on his people and left. Over a year ago this happened, and Galuda trekked across the globe in order to find the man and the power stone, a legendary rock that was able to cure the disease. The one armed man had gone rogue shortly after the incident and became a pirate. One would presume that captain Kraken had gone mad, quitting the U.S Cavalry and indulging in pirating affairs that had been dead for a century. Well, Galuda had retrieved the stone and brought his people back to health. Now, deep within Canada and safe from any U.S army officer, Galuda served his time as new chief and loving husband.

                "Galuda! What have you in your hands?" Doe, Galuda's clearly pregnant wife, asked surprised.

                She was a fair maiden. Her large brown eyes reflected the essence of a female white tailed deer. Her fine long dark hair was in a long braid that ran down her back. Her skin was dark, like most Native American women, but beautiful. She was clad in heavy animal skins to protect herself and her child from the new cold.

                "A crow." Galuda answered, almost smiling. Galuda was enormous compared to his young wife.

                "Why do you have a crow, hmmm?" Doe smiled.

                "It frightened away the hare I was stalking. Therefore I killed it with a pebble." Galuda replied.

                "And what will you do with a dead crow?! Make more headdresses?!" does was angry.

                "I suppose. And from it's meat we shall have crow pie. Maybe I'll make a necklace from its bones…" Galuda started rambling on about how he was going to fashion the bird into, well, fashion.

                Doe sighed. "At least we can sell some to the Mounties…"

                "What?! No! We can make it into useable items like I said. We have lived for thousands of years without "selling to the white man". We don't need to start now." Galuda fumed.

                "Galuda, dear, the world is changing. Like it or not, we have to change with it too…" Doe placed her hand on Galuda's shoulder.

                "I do not see why. I have met very few good white men. The rest are evil demons of the east! We are best when left in isolation. Let them have their trains and phono… singing machines…" Galuda turned away from Doe.

                Doe felt bad about bringing it up. Galuda was never one for change and every time Doe brought the subject up Galuda would go on about the evils of the white man. "Look, Galuda. We'll use the crow feathers for the baby's bed. I'm sure they will provide warmth."

                "I need my pipe." Galuda stated. He then walked past Doe without even glancing at her into the warmth of the teepee.

                The inside of his teepee gave off a soft warm hue of primal essences and new world herbs. The bison skin, tanned to a white color, was decorated by many a diagram of the bear, wolf, horse, and bison. Also telling tales of the hunt, of the gods, and social gatherings of many years past. It also told the tale of Galuda and his journey around the world. A drawing was painted for every stop he made and every battle fought. A simple red man with goggles, a blue man with a long sword, a young lad with long braided hair, a large man with a yellow poncho, a man wrapped in white with one red eye, a female figure in green, and a dark skinned woman. They're also a figure of a ship to the north, where a one handed man seemed to cackle. There was in his little abode a cattle skull, painted with orange mud and adorned in crow feathers. One simple fur bed was laid on the cold dirt, along with a small stone ring in which a fire would be held in. Galuda instantly spotted his long wooden pipe in a sack near his furs. His massive hand reached for it, diving into the bag and through the literally thousands of crow feathers he had collected. His hand grasped something, but not the slender pipe. It was hard and small, smooth and round. Galuda cracked a smile and brought out the object. It was indeed the purple shard of the almighty power stone. Galuda brought the stone to his face and reflected upon his past.

** *

                It was raining, rather hard. The sky was cold and dark. Heavy, black clouds were blocking the night and the moon. The small Russian town was lifeless. Great claps of thunder bellowed across the heavens, but not a single bolt of lightning crackled across the sky. The murky, dark waves crashed ominously across the olden docks. Mud and water ran across Galuda's moccasins as they raced to the bottom of the steep hill towards the sea. Only a single old elm tree, long dead and burned, stood watch between the heightened village huts. The native American strolled down the hill, keeping pace as not to slip in the dangerous runoff. Galuda watched his breath fly out before him in the frozen weather. Moored in the northern bay in the White Sea was a grand old galleon. I should put emphases on old. Holes were torn in her poor sails. Loose boards dotted the vessel, as did thousands of living and dead barnacles. Pitch-dark cannons faced the hamlet, watching the night viciously. Only one lantern was lit on the vessel. And only one man crewed her. The King Octopus, her name, and Captain Ebenezer Kraken her captain. Galuda felt this was the final length of his journey. The one armed man was here, and today was his unlucky day.

                Little did Galuda know that day that he was not alone in the quest to reach Skullhaven. Other warriors were coming across the same sleepy village in the mists of a dark ungodly night. One of those warriors was a fellow named Jack. The cannons were in clear sight as Galuda reached the docks. Torrents of rain fell off the docks in a waterfall of eternity. If one were not careful, one would slip right off into the stormy brine. Jack, from behind an overflowing barrel, saw the spectacle of a man reaching out to the war ship of yester years. However, Galudas senses were not as keen as the bandaged lepers, and he failed to notice the lighting of a fuse.

                Not a man alive knows why Jack did what he did. Galuda had never seen the little French killer, nor did Jack ever see Galuda before. It was custom for warriors to fight against each other, but Jack acted differently. Shouting as loud as his high-pitched voice could shout, Jack leapt from his position nearly seventy feet away and bounded towards the red skin. In a look of surprise, Galuda turned only to be knocked into the dark depths along with Jack. The docks they just stood upon exploded in the fiery deaths of a million splinters. Galuda and Jack bobbed up and down, along with the flaming debris, as they took in the fact they nearly were hit by a seventeenth century cannonball. Galuda looked to his right, noticing the bandaged man.

                "Thank you, whoever you are. You saved my life, and I am in debt to you." Galuda said.

                Jack merely nodded, blinking his lone red eye. A single rope, the only one that had held the King Octopus in the village, floated on the surface of the briny deep. Jack started swimming towards the rope, clutching it in his hands and pulling himself towards the ship. Galuda did the same. He kept a tough look upon his face, but questioned why Jack had saved him and what he wanted with Captain Kraken.

** *

                Doe walked into the teepee, noticing her husband sitting down near his sack, one hand on the power stone, another holding his pipe. Both of his eyes were shut, in deep thought. Doe smiled. She questioned herself weather to disturb the giant, he looked so calm and serene. A dogs bark brought her back to the reason why she came in. She moved towards her dark haired husband and tapped his massive shoulder lightly. This was all that was needed to bring a seasoned warrior to. He glanced behind him, brining in his surroundings. His wife closed her eyes and smiled. He smiled back, forgetting about his earlier argument.

                "Do you need me, Doe?" Galuda asked.

                "There is a man outside, an outsider." Doe answered.

                Galuda raised an eyebrow. "Really? What does he want?"

                "He wishes to speak with you. He says he has a message for you."

                "Tell him I will meet him. Bring him in here."

                "Alright dear."

                Doe left out the way she came. Galuda got off the ground, dusted himself off, and immediately set to cleaning the premises to an impressive shape. The crow feathers, every last dark one, were stuffed underneath the wolf furs. Galuda neatly placed himself down near the back of the room, quickly placing the pipe in a formal position, and waited.

                After a few minutes, in walked a white man. He was dressed in blue with shiny yellow buttons, a nice belt, black boots, and a small blue hat with two bugles on it. He was American, even Galuda could tell that. Dullstown was under the pony express's route, and Galuda's tribal grounds were within Dullstown residency. Galuda frowned even more. The white messenger's blue eyes sparkled as he saluted with his leather gloves. Galuda nodded, putting the messenger at ease.

                "What do you want with Galuda the Earth walker?" Galuda asked in a stern voice.

                "Message for you sir." The messenger fished around in a bag he had at his waist until he pulled out a small white envelope. He passed the envelope towards the chieftain, who reluctantly took it.

                The envelope was small, a little bent from being shipped by pony express, and extravagantly beautiful. Gold trimming and embroidered designed rung the envelope like an art. And in dark, smooth black ink was written "Galuda" in cursive. French cursive.

                Galuda made an odd expression while trying to decipher the letter's secret words. He placed his hand on his square jaw and looked at the letter at several different angles. The messenger took on a surprise also. After a few awkward moments, the messenger volunteered.

                "Do you want me to read it to you, chief?" the messenger asked.

                Galuda was relieved. However, he didn't want it to look like he was incapable of reading. After a moment or two, he set upon a firm look and tossed the envelope to the U.S mail man.

                "Read if you want." Galuda replied.

                "The envelope says "Galuda" in French. I didn't think you had French friends. Especially ones this wealthy." The messenger spoke. "Shall I read the letter to you?"

                "Not to me. For me. I am in a slumbering mood." Galuda fibbed.

                "Right sir. It says Ahem. 

Dear Galuda. (In French, of course.)

 This is your friend Falcon. I am writing to you from France. Thus explains the odd language this sort is in, wot. Julia forced me to write in French, hope you can read it. Anyways, there is a problem over here and we could use your help. Not a man is stronger, more at peace, resourceful, and experienced in with the power stone than you. Several killings of innocent women are occurring in Manches, this town, and a killer with a power stone may be to blame. This information comes from a bandaged man named Jack who is currently being held in prison for crimes he may have not committed. It would be a great blinkin help if you could come over her and help us. Enclosed is a ship ticket to Paris from Vancouver. If you refuse to come, than write us back, but remember, there are lives on the line. See you mate.

                                                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                                                Edward Falcon.

And that's the what the letter says." The messenger reported.

Galuda could not believe his own ears. A message from halfway across the world from his old acquaintance Falcon. However, it was the state of emergency that appealed to the chieftain. The bandaged Jack could not be any other than the Jack that saved his life a year ago. He owed a favor for Jack, and now was his time to prove his honor.

"If you don't want to go, you could just write it out now and give it to me, seeing how I am the postman and all." The postman stated.

"No! I am man of honor and valor. Even though I dislike the outside world and all of its inventions and curses, I must help those who have helped me. Give me the ticket." Galuda roared.

"O.K, O.K sir. It's a long ways to Vancouver. You could ride with the pony express for a while. We have a train and everything, gets us going fast!" the messenger offered.

"Alright. I shall. Thank you." Galuda replied.

The chieftain then walked out in to the cold November air and alerted his tribe. He told them and his wife that he would be leaving.

** *


	6. VI

The sun was shining in Paris. The autumn leaves were still clinging on to the limbs of the dear old trees as mid November rolled in. Despite the chill, everything was still in good spirit. After all, it was Paris: the city of love. Dreamy walks through Paris' many park lanes, the tall exquisite architecture, including the in construction marvel of modern architecture, the Eiffel tower. Clouds dotted the sky in the chilled breeze. The sky was blue, but not a soul in the streets was. The Parisians were holding a festival, to say the least, and all of the Frenchmen were preparing. For a merchant, a festival in one of the world's largest and powerful cities, it was a making in heaven. Thousands and thousands of visitors will be thronging the city soon, all trying to catch a glimpse of the New Paris. Why, such a thing hadn't been seen since the days of Napoleon Bonaparte ninety years back. Women in their huge dresses and men in their black ash jackets and coal colored top hats and white gloves walked the pavement by the famous Seine River. The river itself had been an attraction to the French capitol for many millennia, and now the eyes of awed spectators were still gazing it upon. The Seine happened to cascade near the open fair grounds, where hundreds of people milled about.

"Are you sure madam and monsieur are here?" Gourmand asked the famous, handsome, and dashing rogue adventurer, the red whirlwind, master of the Hockenheim, the one and only Edward Falcon.

The master of aviation turned to the cook, who was tapping his chubby fingers against the horseless carriages' steering wheel. "Excuse me Jean-Paul, but I'm not so bally flippin sure. We'll find out when they meet at the bloody blue and yellow tent."

Jean-Paul Gourmand sighed. "Pardon moil, monsieur. I'll be sure to keep an eye out."

"You better keep an eye out, or I'll send ye to Zulu!" Falcon replied.

"Yes sir." Gourmand moaned.

** *

The great Zeppelin Argentina lay tethered to an astonishingly high building. The crews and passengers were eagerly departing from their world trip and world-class voyage. Ayame leaped out from ship onto the loading pad, stretching her arms gingerly. Behind her came Granny Uematsu, lugging the, well, luggage on to the deck. There was an air of festivity abroad, and from glancing down upon the earth from here, one could easily make out Paris was in celebration.

"So this is Paris? Huh, thought it would be grander…" Granny commented.

"Nonsense Granny! See that building in construction over there! Accel says once it's completed, it will be taller than the empire State Building!" Ayame turned her grandmother s attention towards the metallic behemoth.

Granny was in awe. The over all monstrosity of the thing had over whelmed the very short and very old foreigner completely. She stood speechless as the Parisians went by here and there behind her. Ayame grinned a victory grin.

"Howdy A-YA-me." Accel waved as he walked down the boarding planks and onto the dock. Ayame turned and smiled towards the American. John Accel glanced at the old woman, and then at the object she was staring at. He tipped his hat and spat. "Hooey, now ain't that a biggun! Looks like a metal Devils Tower!"

"So what are you doing in Paris: the city of love?" Ayame giggled.

Accel walked towards Ayame and took off his mask. His eyes were blue. Baby blue. Beautiful blue. I could go on and on about the color of his optical ordinances, but I am sure that you have a general understanding. "Don't want to lose anything up here. Well I figured this, A-YA-me, I could either go to the city that never sleeps or the city of love. Which one sounds like a better pick to you?"

Ayame remained lost in his eyes, but was snapped back to the real world when she almost fell over the frozen elderly woman. She blushed and corrected herself. "A-of course! The city of love sounds a lot better than the city that never sleeps, though that doesn't sound like a bad idea either. Haha."

"Well, I better get going. Gotta train to catch. Headin out to Munchen to see the Oktoberfest!" Accel grinned.

"No! Wait!" Ayame burst. She grabbed the cowboys' arm, which created a surprised look on his face. "Um…what I mean to say is, how about you come with me to Manches?! We could use your help!"

"Huh?"

And Ayame repeated the entire story to Accel amidst the Frenchmen lollygagging around the airship docks…

** *

Galuda arrived safely from the New World. His ship pulled in to the fine docks on the seine, very close to the festival gathering. It was decided, early on, that Galuda had a great dislike of ships. Though he would never admit it, the large man had a great fear of traveling over the water in a giant tin can. As his moccasins touched the concrete earth, he sighed a sigh of relief. He was finally in Paris. Unfortunately, however, Galuda would have to ride a familiar ship on the way back to his people. The captain mentioned a line of ships that were in the process of being built that were supposedly unsinkable. The Titanic, the Lucitainia, so forth and so on. Galuda didn't really pay attention during all this. Great feats of engineering and construction were all lost on the traveler. However, he did pay attention to the grand tower before him. Over the heads of many a building rose a construct so huge it absolutely baffled him.

"Bonjour monsieur, welcome to Paris! The festival of the Autumn Leaf is about to begin! Would you like some information?" A man dressed as a sign spoke.

Galuda pulled the wee Frenchman to him and pointed out to the tower with his massive arm. "What is that tower?"

The signman gulped and was quick to reply. "Well monsieur, if you put my feet back on ze ground, I shall tell you, no?" The Native American did as told. "Ah, thank you very much. It's a regular tower of Babel, ain't it?"

The man noticed his saying meant nothing to Galuda. "Is that what it is called?"

The Barker gave a questionable look. "Eh, no. …You are an American, no?"

"No. Red Hand."

"Right... Well that is ze Eifel Tower! It isn't done right now, of coarse, but when it is, it will be taller than any building in ze world!"

"Eifel Tower… " Galuda put his fingers around his square jaw.

Galuda had been in large cities before, but every time he visited one, he felt like a fish out of water. The folks in these parts wore exquisite fashionable clothing that covered every inch of their body. Their skin was white and pale, and they looked upon Galuda with an inferiority complex. Galuda sighed.

"Hey Galuda!" A voice cried from the distance. Galuda turned towards the voice. It was none other than Rouge, the Persian fortuneteller. He smiled, a rare thing for Galuda, mind you, and walked to greet her near a blue and yellow tent.

Rouge was a slender young beautiful woman. Her hair was long and dark brown and her skin the color of light chocolate. Her deep brown eyes reflected mysticism, as did her wardrobe. She was in an odd Middle Eastern outfit, dark collars, and a blue strap around her bosom, and cautiously low blue Arabian pants. A white tiara with a ruby scarab was upon her crown, and only one eye visible due to her drooping thick bangs. Her hair was braided in the back all the way to her waist. She was clearly gorgeous. Galuda was married and a very polite gentleman.

"Hello Rouge." Galuda said as he approached the tent. "How do you fare?"

Rouge smiled a roguish smile. She brought Galuda's head down to hers where she whispered in his ear. "Falcon is on the other side of the tent waiting for us. They think I'm out. Hehehehe."

Galuda raised an eyebrow. "Why are you acting like a child? Falcon has spent a great deal of effort gaining our support."

Rouge looked surprised and then ashamed. "Oh Galuda, I guess you're right. …But I have one idea I want to practice. Hehehe."

** *

"Master Falcon, it has been well over an hour. It has been over five hours! We have been here since seven in the morning." Gourmand sighed.

"Gourmand. What did I say earlier?" Falcon said as he leaned on a street pole.

"They would be here?" Gourmand stated.

"After that?" Falcon looked heavenward.

"…You'd send me to fight in Zulu?" Gourmand said.

"Exactly. Now, do you want to sign up Her Majesty's Army?" Falcon asked rhetorically.

"…No monsieur."

"Then shut your blinkin hole. …I'm famished. Where can one get some scoff around here?" Falcon asked.

The tent flaps before the horseless carriage and the aviator suddenly flew open as a great wind rushed out. A blast was heard and purple smoke rolled out into the grounds. Falcon took immediate attention as Rouge and Galuda both appeared in the tent.

                "Rouge? Galuda?" Falcon asked in disbelief.

                "What's the matter Falcon?" Rouge smiled deviously. "Don't like a big flashy entrance?"

                Galuda stepped out to the pilot and smiled. "It is good to see you Edward."

                Falcon frowned and glanced to the horseless carriage. Gourmand could be seen shivering in fear underneath the seat. Falcon eyed the bug man. "Not Edward. Falcon. FALCON."

                "So Falcon. Long time no see." Rouge greeted.

                "Ah yes. So how have you chaps been?" Falcon raised his hand to both of them. Galuda and Rouge looked at each other. "Well, go on. Don't a feller know how to shake a mans hand, wot?!"

                "Oh! Shake hands! Hahahaha. Oh, I thought that westerners only shook on formal business!" Rouge laughed.

                "As did I." Galuda put it.

                "Wot? No! We shake hands on everything! I bet you a shilling to a crown that an American told you that!" Falcon seemed unnerved.

                "Actually yea." Rouge said.

                "Yes." Galuda said.

                "Alright. So we got everyone except Ayame! I wonder how she's been doing?" Falcon reported.

                "Ayame? …who is Ayame?" Galuda questioned.

                "Ayame, Ayame, Ayame… Oh! The Japanese girl! She's here?" rouge asked.

                "Of course! This mission requires every bit of stealth we can muster!" Falcon grinned. "Ayame indeed! You know who she is!"

                "Yes. The Japanese girl." Galuda in reality couldn't remember the little Asian girl for the life of him. 

                "So who's in the car?" Rouge pointed to the Frenchman.

                "Oh that. He's Jean-Paul Gourmand. He's Julia's cook and will soon be enlisting to fight in the Zulu War in South Africa. Isn't that right Gourmand?" Falcon shouted.

                "I'd hope to think not, monsieur." Gourmand replied.

                "Hey Eddy!" A small voice screamed. Falcon couldn't help but look in the direction to notice Ayame running down the street. However in tow was a cowboy who happened to be carrying Ayame's still shocked grandmother. Falcon swallowed.

                Rouge, Gourmand, Galuda, and Falcon all happened to shout at the same precise moment the same exact thing. "Not an American!"

                Ayame, being fleet of foot, stopped right in front of the quartet. "Huh?"

                Falcon put his boot towards the Asian girl. "Ayame, who's that?"

                "That's John Accel. He's from Texas!" Ayame smiled.

                "He's not coming with us, right honey?" rouge asked.

                "He is, why?" Ayame blinked.

                "Because he's an American. Reason enough." Galuda said, recognizing Ayame.

                "We all know that Americans are the rudest, messiest, most rebellious people in the whole world!" Falcon stated.

                "Howdy. I hear you have a problem." Accel said as he approached. "I'm John Accel, but you can call me Accel."

Falcon raised an eyebrow. The man seemed familiar. He didn't know why, but he swore he had seen him before.

"The American looks just like you Falcon." Galuda commented.

Falcon sighed. He glanced at Rouge, Galuda and Ayame. And then at Accel. "Jack the Slayer and Rootin Tootin Tex. This will turn up well."


	7. VII

It was a rather cramped taxi, that horseless carriage. Gourmand at the wheel, Falcon up front with Ayame squeezed between them both. In the back sat Galuda to the left, Accel to the right, and Rouge in the center. Ayame's old grandmother sat on Galuda's lap, still frozen from the awesome might of French architecture. It was a black topless horseless carriage, the model T of the day and age. The tiny vehicle sputtered and rumbled under the weight through the beautiful French countryside. It was a bit cold – it was mid November, mind you – and each passenger sat underneath a thin blanket, save the front seats. Ayame had been given a scarf, which she instantly hated. It was long, blue, white, and red. It itched horribly and made her sneeze. She wished she had packed warm weather gear. As for the mighty Falcon, he was comfortable in his red aviators jacket and trousers. He was, however, uncomfortable with the fact that the American had been invited to join the quest. To Falcon, this mystery was a challenge in which the reward was a possible chance of getting back with his heart's desire Julia Swan. Master Falcon, as with most Europeans of the day, had a distrust of Americans. Still what bothered him even more, to the very marrow of his British bones, was the uncanny resemblance of the cowboy. It was as if he was Falcon's evil doppelganger. He frowned and stared out at the wooden post fence that had lined the little dirt road on both sides for hours and hours on end. Rolling green hills formed beyond the obstacle, filled with grazing bovine. As Falcon became lost in his thought, a screeching of tires woke him up and the honking of a horn. He instantly looked over to Jean-Paul, who was clad in a driver's jacket and hat, squeezing the horns bulb with his leather gloves.

"Um. …Falcon. What's going on? I can't see back here!" Rouge asked.

Falcon leaned back over his seat, nearly crushing the very irritated Ayame. "It looks like we ran into lunch."

Indeed it was luncheon time - an hour past noon to be precise. The sun was high in the sky, and not a single tree was around to create shade. But there was in the middle of the dusty old road a very large cattle. It munched upon a stray cluster of green grass, paying no heed to the honking horn of the horseless carriage.

"Out the way you stupid cattle!" Gourmand squeezed the horn once again. The loud honking blew once more, reminding the riders more of the honks of a goose than anything mechanical.

"HEY YOU DUMB COW! GETT OUT OF THE WAY OR I'LL HURT YOU!" Ayame shouted furiously. The cow did not move.

"Ol' Daisy here is quite satisfied with that clump of grass, eh?" Falcon chuckled.

"I'll handle this!" Surprisingly, Galuda and Accel spoke at once.

Galuda turned to the cowboy. "You are too small to be able to move that cow, American."

Accel smiled. "There's a reason I where this hat, partner. Now come on, let a cowboy do his job. Besides, you have a statuette to take care of." Accel pointed to the old woman. Galuda growled silently as Accel leaped over the side of the carriage and approached the cattle.

In his driving goggles, Gourmand's eyes were five times their original size. The top of his head was invisible under the taxi hat, but he wriggled his thick black moustache in frustration. "Just move the stupid cow!" He turned to Falcon, "huh, look it that, the American thinks he can pull our steers out of our roads."

"I know what your saying Gourmand." Falcon replied.

"Filthy American coming over here and saying that he owns the place, the roads, and the steers!" Gourmand's mustache ruffled.

"The nerve!" Falcon said.

"Quiet you! You're not even French! The nerve indeed." Gourmand scorned.

"Gourmand, I think you'd look rather pleasing in a H.M.A uniform." Falcon smiled.

"Right monsieur…" Gourmand breathed out.

"Alright you two. I think we've had enough of this! What has Mr. Accel done so wrong? I think he's been a great help! Look, the cow has been pulled off the road." Ayame frowned.

Granny finally awoke from her shock. "Huh? Where am I? What's going?" She looked at the approaching man coming near. "What's an American doing here?!"

** *

So the horseless carriage sputtered and rocked once again down the country path. Ayame insisted that everyone get along or she'd haunt everyone with her own ninja techniques. Not surprisingly, every one acted civil towards each other, no matter how hard it was. All save for Granny, how bit and snarled at everything that came by. It was to be expected, of coarse, so Ayame was happy. The irritant sweater defiantly made it hard, but one can never expect perfection.

Ayame leaned backwards and laid eyes upon the handsome young rogue. He was leaning upon his elbow, staring out into the green hills. She smiled and her eyelids fell half the distance.

"What's the matter with you girl? You look like you've been smitten by love, smiling like that." Granny croaked.

Rouge couldn't help herself. She started a silent giggle, to a soft chuckle, and then to a full flung laughter. Galuda and Accel glanced at the hysterical fortuneteller. Once she had subsided, she wiped tears from the corner of her eyes and smiled herself.

"What is so funny, Rouge?" Galuda asked.

She craned her head backwards to look the tall man in the face. "Nothing Galuda." She then turned her head at Ayame and winked. Ayame immediately blushed and backed towards her original position. Falcon looked to the back of the carriage.

"Wots so jolly funny back there?!" Falcon asked.

"Nothing Falcon." Rouge kept her grin.

"Come on guys. We're all friends here!" falcon pleaded.

"Nothing!" Rouge replied.

"Please"

"No!"

** *

                The swan estate had taken several hours to reach, but the passengers were happy when they could finally get out of the cramped carriage. Gourmand explained he would meet them at dinner, as he was not on this adventuring quest. Falcon nodded, and let him go his way. He glanced once more at the enormous manor. His friends were struck with awe. How anyone could own such a home was beyond him or her. Falcon smiled, feeling proud for some reason, and opened the very large white doors. He made a gesture with his hand as for them to come in.

                "Ladies first." Falcon explained.

                Granny was the first one to walk through; smiling towards the Brit. Falcon shuddered and carried on to the next guest. "My home is your home." He said.

                "Falcon you devil, this isn't your house." Rouge chuckled.

                "And you'd know this how?" Falcon asked.

                "I'm a fortune-teller. We know these things." Rouge patted Falcons shoulder as he walked in.

                Ayame was still outside, staring upon the large, exquisite renaissance architecture that made the Swan manor. She had seen buildings that were enormous, but she had never seen any one's home this large. Accel prodded the girl with his hip. She glanced at Accel, who was pointing at the door and grinning like a schoolboy. She gave a large smile back.

                "Ahem! Ayame, Julia is in here." Falcon raised an eyebrow.

                "Oh! Right! Be with you in a second!" Ayame said to Accel. She turned towards the great gate and passed under, admiring every aspect of the foyer before bumping into her grandmother and Rouge, who now couldn't help chuckle every time she saw Ayame.

                "What is so funny Rouge?" Ayame asked, obviously annoyed.

                Rouge looked upon her and smiled. "I'll tell you later."

                Accel picked up his bags and walked towards Falcon. As he passed he gave a smart salute. "You gotta love the ladies." He grinned.

                "Heh, you sure do!" Falcon replied in a mock acquaintance. As Galuda walked forward, he looked at Falcon, who made the 'chop off his head' gesture with the hand that wasn't holding the door. Galuda cracked a smile and walked on.

                Suddenly from the jungle of French furniture and antiques came the blonde aristocrat herself. She rushed into the group, carrying her large white dress. "Welcome to the House of Swan. I am Julia Swan. It is a pleasure to meet you all finally. I've heard so much about you!" Julia curtsied. 

                "Well Julia. In case your beautiful noggin doesn't serve ye so well, this is Ayame Uematsu." Falcon pointed towards the Asian girl who replied with a friendly smile and a wave. "And this is Ayame's grandmother, come to see the sights of France." He moved towards the diminutive ancestor. "And this is Rouge Nehbandan, the fortune-teller." He gestured towards the dark skinned woman, who smiled and curtsied. "And this is Galuda." He stopped at Galuda's side and patted him on the back. Galuda nodded towards the woman.

                "Splendid! But uh…who is this man right over here. I don't recall you." Julia implored.

                "The name is John Accel. Accel to my friends and that's what you can call me!" He kneeled before Julia and kissed her hand. Julia blushed red. Falcon's face also turned the same color, but not for the same emotion, I'm quite sure. Falcon immediately took Julia's free hand and pulled her close.

                "My fair Julia, do you not think that meeting over some luncheon would be best for the adventurers. I am sure they'll want to hear more about the mission you have planned." Falcon suggested.

                "My what a wonderful idea Edward! Ladies and gentlemen, we shall discuss the morrow's plans over lunch. My servants shall attend to your luggage and your rooms will be readied." She clasped her hands together in excitement. "I trust your trip her to my homely estate was safe and enjoyable."

                "Yes ma'am! As comfortable as it could be!" Ayame complemented, though in truth it was quite different.

                "Ah. That is always good to hear. Allow me to show you to the dining hall. Graves here will take your coats." Julia gazed upon the motley group once more, only to notice that none had any form of coat. "Well then. No coats no problem! Haha! Well, we should get underway!"

** *

                The lovely sounds of a grand piano could be heard throughout the amazing hall. The table sat as it did weeks before, but now here were guests, and more than just one. It was an elegant setting, designed for elegant people. Servants brought forth trays of elegance, to be served to elegant people in elegant settings. The adventurers were quite pleased. This meal would be one to remember for ages. Julia sat in her normal spot and watched the hired help dig in.

                "This is fine wine, Lady Julia. How old is it?" Accel asked.

                "That's Penny cloud cordial. Came from 1803, the same year that Bonaparte Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory." Julia replied.

                "I don't know 'bout Louisiana, but this is great cordial." Falcon complemented.

                "I have a question? Why is it that you are wearing your shoes in the house?!" Granny asked.

                Julia, Galuda, Falcon, Accel, and Rouge all gave a quizzical look at the old woman. Turning to one each other, they searched each other's faces for an answer.

                Ayame sighed. Her grandmother was going to make it difficult to the very end. "It is a Nippon custom that people take their shoes off when they walk into the house." She explained. There was a chorus of ohs' and understanding. "Granny, that's a Nippon custom, not a French custom. We're in France. That should answer your question."

                "What has happened to Jack?" Galuda asked. Falcon, with a mouthful of King Louis chicken, turned to Julia, as if passing the question on.

                "Right then. Business. Well …Galuda, Jack is in the dungeon right now on charges of serial murder-" Julia was interrupted by the sudden rising of the Native American.

                "Then we go rescue him! What are we doing sitting idly while Jack rots another day?!" Galuda shouted for justice.

                "Hold on! If you would be kind enough to sit down and let me explain, I have special permission to allow Jack out, AS LONG as he is under your constant supervision. You see, I have reason to believe that he is not guilty of these crimes. For there is another killer loose on my beloved streets of Manches. One that is an exact duplicate of Jack!" Julia explained.

                Julia cut herself short as she noticed a raised hand. Accel was raising his arm, waving it, and waiting to be called upon. "Yes?"

                "Um, I hate to sound ignorant or stupid, but who's Jack?" Accel asked.

                Everyone except Julia and Ayame let out a sigh. Julia took a moment, fiddling with her salad fork, searching for the right words. "Jack is …a unique character. He's a leper, or leads one to believe so, for he is completely hidden underneath bandages, save tuffs of black hair and one red eye. Jack the Slayer, or the Mad Clown, as he became to be called is believed to be a serial killer and a thief, who hunts only women and steal their gems. That should suffice."

                "Alright…" Accel suddenly felt really stupid.

                "To continue, Jack claims that his duplicate emerged from a power stone." Falcon began. "This would make 'Other Jack' rather dangerous, even for myself." He winked at Julia, but then noticed a hand projected in the air. He slumped. "Question, Mr. Accel?"

                Accel scratched his blonde head after removing his hat. "Yea Falcon. Aren't the Power stones just legend and myth? Just an ol' housewives tale?"

                Ayame quickly reacted, making sure that her guest wouldn't be stomped under the heavy feet of every one else. "Good question Accel, heh heh. Power stones are very real, and they can make any wish come true. All of us here have dealt with power stones in the past, though I'm not too sure about Lady Julia."

                "Oh heavens no! I'm not an adventurer of any sort. I'm just merely the client and financier for this operation. Though I wasn't aware that you're Ms. Uematsu senior had dealt with the power stones before." Julia waved her hands.

                "Oh I have Julia. Our lord sent Ayame one year back. When she returned, we gave the lord a rock and gave the stone to my stupid idiot son. Don't know what he did with it though." Granny rubbed her non-existent chin.

                "It's good to know we have an experienced crew on our hands. The streets at night are not pretty. As I said before, I am mainly the financier. It is up to Falcon, your leader, to plan your general attack strategy. On the morrow, you shall retrieve Jack from the dungeon and start the mission. Are there any questions?" Julia clapped.

                "Yea, why is Falcon our leader?" Rouge asked cruelly.

                "Um well, actually, you see… Whoa! Look at the bloody time! If we're starting tomorrow, we should get rested up! Ta ta!" Falcon excused himself from the table and made a brisk walk for the stairs.

                The table looked at the red suited man in an odd expression. Once he had vanished, they shrugged and continued to converse.

** *


	8. VIII

The dungeon had remained as grizzly and barbaric as it was in the late summer months when Julia visited it last. The chains were still as black and noisy. The torches were still clinging to the walls. The bricks were as old and dirty as ever. The bars were as thick and tight, and the criminals behind them still as mad and loony as before. However, the difference now was that the Lady Julia of the Swan family was not being escorted by the constable and several of his best men. To say the least, Julia wasn't even there. This time, the constable and several of his best men were escorting a couple of able-bodied adventurers. The constable, to tell the truth, was not happy at all about this arrangement. You could get the same idea from the patrol from their weary faces. Even the mighty Falcon and his men looked doubtful. For within these walls, this tomb of the unholy and the sinned was the vicious and malevolent Jack the Slayer.

                "I hope you know what you are doing." The constable gave a rough comment towards the group.

                "No need to feel cross chap. We are professionals! We'll have this town free of serial killers in a matter of days!" falcon reassured the man.

                "Jack the Slayer is not one to be toyed around with. He'll use your first mistake to escape, and you'll never see him again." The constable stated.

                "So then how did you catch him?" Rouge asked.

                "Well, err, he… kind of… showed up at our gates…" The constable said.

                "Showed up at your gates?!" Ayame said in surprise.

                "Aye." The constable said back.

                "Then he shouldn't be too hard to handle then." Accel put forth.

"Jack is not who we should be worrying about. We must put our concentration on Other Jack." Galuda spoke advise. 

"Don't tell me you believe that Other Jack nonsense." The constable remarked while they continued their tour.

"It makes sense. Jack was at Skullhaven a year ago…" Falcon replied. "Besides. Julia is never wrong."

Rouge chuckled. "First Ayame and now you, Edward. It seems everyone is getting the love bug."

Ayame huffed. "What do you mean by that?!"

Falcon didn't bother to turn his gaze. "It's Falcon, not Edward. F-A-L-C-O-N! I don't call you bloody Muhammad."

Rouge just continued to smile.

It wasn't long until they reached Jack's cell. Located far beneath the earth, as close as a living sinner would get to hell, was the lonely chamber of Jack. The six entered. Galuda was first to walk towards the small porthole. His stern eyes pierced the darkness like a knife through a gourd. A small curl formed at the end of his lips.

"Jack." Galuda called in.

The red lone eye appeared. Within seconds, a body materialized around it. Tuffs of black hair escaped the bandaged head of Jack. The odd green coat he adorned abandoned the darkness and took up residence in the light, along with Jack's nimble bandaged hands. He hade a look of surprise at first, but it quickly vanished as he closed his eye and let out a gleeful laugh that could curdle the blood in your veins.

"Hahahahahahaha! Galuda comes to Jack, comes to I! What can I do for thee, Galuda? Cup of tea or a scone? Hehehehe" Jack laughed.

"Excuse me, but you French do not drink tea or eat scones! That's a British custom, Jack!" Falcon made himself out to the jailed one, grinning like a naughty child.

"Falcon comes to I, too. What brings you to the lair of Jack? Hehehehe!"

Ayame was afraid. She had never met Jack before, but had heard the monstrous tales of his exploits and actions. She was hesitant, but firmly made her move. "See here Jack! We're here to let you out and find the man who is responsible for framing you!"

Rouge didn't bother showing herself. She wasn't afraid, let me make this clear. But she saw no reason to make something of herself to the prisoner yet. "We're here for Other Jack."

Jack tried to look past Galuda and Falcon at the little raved haired girl. His eye showed interest and delight. "Ah, Galuda and Falcon bring women! Hehehehe, I so enjoy the company of a good lady."

Accel stepped into the light, swinging his dual pistols ready. The torches light made them sparkle as if they were silver gems. "I'd shut up if I were you, ugly varmint. That's no way to treat a lady!"

Falcon swiveled to Accel's twin barrels and lowered them with a quick swipe. "Excuse me Sir Gabs a lot, but let me make this clear! Don't shoot Jack! He's our only key to the mystery!"

Accel frowned. "The rat had best not try anything funny…"

"Take your own advice, Yankee Doodle." Falcon spat.

"Guys! Guys! Stop it!" Ayame burst into the two quarrelsome blondes.

Galuda went back to Jack. "You saved my life a year ago, and now I return the favor. You're coming with us as long as you help capture Other Jack. Got it, friend?"

"He he. I have it. If we capture Other Jack, you let Jack, I, go?" Jack puzzled.

"That is the plan." Galuda replied.

"Excellent. Our the ladies friends of Galuda, you?" Jack asked.

"Indeed they are. I must warn you to keep your distance. They are here to help you, so you should oblige by doing whatever they say." Galuda stated.

"Yes, yes, yes. You have my word. Hahahahahahahaha." Jack replied.

Rouge walked up and placed her faced along with Galudas', so that she could see Jack. She smiled. "So you're the legendary Jack. I must say that it is a great honor to meet you."

The constable tossed the keys onto the ground. "Here, take the keys to the door. But you must stay with him at all times."

Falcon tore his eyes aware from Accel's glaring sights and onto the keys. He picked them up. "Will do Constable. Will do. Julia will be proud."

"Well, let's get to business." Ayame clapped her hands together, glad that Falcon had preoccupied himself with something other than making fun of Accel. She then turned to the American. "Come on Accel. I thank you for the gesture, but try not to get on eddy's bad side."

Accel lowered his hat. "I fear it's far past that point, Ayame."

Rouge caught the keys that Falcon through. She placed the key in the hole. He brown eye glanced at everyone in the room, making sure they were prepared. She then fixed her attention on Jack. "Well Jack. I'm about to open the door. Do not haste, go nice and slow. Alright?"

"Alright. He he." Jack replied.

Rouge turned the key. She then swung the heavy door back, slowly might I add, and stepped back. Jack made no move to come out once the door had opened. His ye just searched every man and woman in the cell room.

"Well, come on out. We have business to attend to, friend." Falcon gestured.

Slowly Jack stepped forward, his steps odd and inhuman. It was as if very bone in his body had been strewn out of place. The constable's rifle was shaking just a bit. He was nervous. Jack liked that.

"So Jack, what can you tell us about Other Jack?" Ayame asked the lanky figure.

"Hehehehe. I am hungry. Perhaps we may talk over some kind of meal. Jack does not know what time of day it is. Has lost track of time a long time ago." Jack requested.

"It is eleven in the morning. Come, we shall eat." Galuda offere.

Falcon made an odd face. "…Right Laddie bucks, but where. First, this is an investigation. And second, I know not of a restaurant who will serve this man."

"I do. I'll show it to you." Rouge said.

"Ah good. Good. Thank my lady. However…" Jack turned to the constable. "Jack would like his daggers back. Hahaha."

"What in the name of Pete would you need your daggers for?" Falcon asked.

"Oh I love my precious, my lovely daggers. They are so much to me. I NEED them." Jack said.

Galuda turned his attention to the constable. "Give him what is his."

"Why are you doing that?! He is a suspected criminal?!" Accel asked.

"Other Jack." Rouge replied.

** *

Time had passed. About an hour or so. It was difficult to install civilization back into Jack; fortunately Jack never had much to begin with. It was a restaurant, as Rouge mentioned, that they sat in, a little shop by the river that never had much business. How Rouge knew of this place was beyond everyone. After all, she was a fortuneteller. There was not a waitress, and food had to be picked up in the kitchen. The group of five (since the constable left) sat around a round table, eating a mixture of French cuisine and slop. The walls were brick, they had never been painted. The wooden floor was full of hole and mice were constantly scurrying about on it. Only one fan spun around dreadfully over head, connected to a dark and dusty ceiling. It was certainly a change in atmosphere from where they ate breakfast. Jack kept his daggers in his hands, even as he ate. No one saw his face even then, as Jack simply stuffed the food between the bandages. This disturbed the others.

"Well Jack, what can you tell us about other Jack?" Rouge asked.

Jack finished an oyster and looked up. "What do you want to know about Other Jack?"

"Anything you can possibly muster old bean! Come on, sing like a canary." Falcon urged.

"Well, let me remember. …I shall start from the beginning, yes? Yes. It was dark. Night time or so…"

** *

It was indeed dark. Black clouds that did nothing but pour rain onto the cold northern town of Skullhaven had destroyed the night sky. The little Russian village was harboring a ship, the King Octopus, in its bay. It was here that Jack acquired his power stone shard. Captain Kraken was in a bit of a jam. The old despicable sailor was locked in battle with the giant Native American Galuda. Jack could only watch the battle unfold. That is until he caught glimpse of a brilliant shine within the captains quarters, far from where the fight was ensuing. Creeping away without a sound, the bandaged one slinked into the office and took a sight at a map. But more importantly, it was the object underneath the map that had gained Jack's attention. A power stone shard! In its brilliant purple hue, the stone fracture shined magically. Jack's face lit up with the gleefulness of a thousand children upon Christmas Eve. The shiniest rock of all was finally his. But his and his alone. Falcon burst into the office a mere second later, drenched with the waters of heaven. Jack quickly hid the fragment in his coat.

"What are you doing here?! I say, give me the map and you won't get hurt, err... whatever your name is." Falcon roared.

Jack had no use for the map. In a flash he rolled it up and tossed it to the aviator. "I am Jack. Jack is I. And you? Hehehehehe." Jack laughed.

"Falcon's the name. You don't know how many thanks I have for you! I though I was going to have to commence battle with you in order to obtain that map. It's a map of Avalon Island, where the mother of all power stones lies! I say, thanks again old chum!" With that Falcon vanished back into the rain. Jack took his time, collecting several more shiny artifacts before leaving the ship. Once the deed was done, Jack escaped the vessel and back onto dry land, back into the cold and muddy village of Skullhaven. With a final clap of thunder, Jack escaped into the dark recesses of the world, eager to use his most precious new item.

Many weeks later, Jack found himself in a dark cave. Not far from the cave was the town of Manches, where Jack had originally hailed from. France was, and still is, littered with caverns and tunnels that wrap around underneath the crust of our earth like veins. Paintings from men who had visited the cavern ages before lined the rock walls. Ghastly images of bulls, elephants, elk, and an assortment of other creatures no longer native to the region made up the plethora of paintings. But Jack was not an artistic fellow, mind you. He sat and rubbed the stone, feeling its power.

"Ah, my lovely. Me wonderful lovely. Hehehehe. How you shine, your brilliance is mine and mine alone!" Jack mused.

The idea suddenly struck the bandaged one like a hammer to a nail. Jack remembered the fighters at Skullhaven speaking of the power stones ability to grant wishes. Jack thought to himself. If there was any truth to it, then he should be able to create a wish right now! But what to wish for? If there was one thing that Jack loved more than shiny objects, it was women. Those police officers were becoming awfully troubling. They always got the impression that Jack wanted to kill the ladies, but Jack was really a charmer, a suitor for the women. This at least was how we were explaining it. Finally, Jack came up with an idea.

"Hehehehe! I wish for another Jack!" Jack said as loud as he could in front of the shard.

A great flash of light occurred. Jack could feel the power racing about, creating a whirlwind within the cave. Another Jack rose from the stone, like a zombie from the grave. Jack could only stare in awe at the spectacle. Before long, there was another Jack, standing just as the original Jack does, before Jack. The only difference between the two was the bloody forehead that the original possessed.

"Hehehehehehe! I have life! I am born!" The new Jack shouted, pleased.

"Now 'Other' Jack. I say that you go get yourself caught by the Manches lawmen. I command you!" Jack commanded.

Other Jack closed his eye and shook his head. "No! I don't want to go to jail! I want to see the ladies! I want to keep their jewelry! I won't do as you say!

"You do as I say!" Jack bellowed in his high pitch voice.

Other Jack shook his bandaged face once more. He than grabbed the power stone and leaped out of the cavern and into the French sun. Jack, frustrated, made pursuit. But Other Jack, being born from the power stone, was a lot faster. Jack had lost his target in a matter of moments.

** *

"And when I arrived in town, I was captured by the law men. Jack was too busy looking for Other Jack that he didn't even notice he was standing right in front of the constable's office. That's when I got caught." Jack recapped.

Accel stuffed his face with the last of the chicken. "A suitor eh? No wonder the women called the coppers on you! Just look at yourself!"

Ayame kicked Accel lightly under the table. "That wasn't nice."

Ignoring the two, Rouge added. "Well, if we learned one thing, it's that Other Jack is much better than Jack at pretty much anything."

"And Jack is pretty nasty with those daggers." Falcon pointed to the daggers Jack was holding.

"Other Jack has the power stone shard with him as well. We must hurry." Galuda stood up.

"Relax Galuda. I know this is a pretty dire threat, but we need to think this out. Jack just told us that Other Jack was able to lose Jack in a manner of seconds!" Falcon sat his friend back down.

"So what do we do?" Ayame asked.

"We think." Rouge answered.

"Check!" Falcon called out.

** *


	9. IX

Jack blinked. He had finished his meal of shellfish and slop and was polishing his precious daggers with a napkin. The fan was twirling around as slow and haphazardly as before, but the lighting was darker. Night had come, once again, to cover Manches in its cape. The gas lamps were burning brilliantly along the wall, bringing forth light needed by the sole customers, Falcon and his crew.

"It's been hours. Has any one come up with anything?" Accel asked.

"I'm still stumped." Rouge stated.

"Not me." Jack replied.

"I'm still working on how to fight him once he gets here." Galuda said.

"I have nothing." Ayame giggled.

"Well, I don't know about you blokes, but I happen to have one." Falcon smiled.

"Really?" Rouge asked.

"I can't wait to hear this one…" Accel sighed.

Falcon leaped upon the round table, cleverly using his athleticism to keep his balance. "Indeed I have! It's all elementary my dear friends, for you see Jack is with us as we speak."

The crew gave him an odd expression.

"Yea, we've known that. How's that going to help us find Other Jack?" Rouge replied.

"Ah, but have you put that information to use! Think friends, think. Jack said that Other Jack was like him in every aspect!" Falcon teased.

"So… that would mean they have the same flaws and weaknesses!" Ayame snapped her fingers.

"Yes. And since Other Jack's strengths have multiplied, so will his weaknesses." Galuda grinned.

"Exactly! Now we just to have to find out what Jack's weaknesses are! And methinks we already know two very important ones!" Falcon shouted.

"Bah. Jack, I, has no weaknesses." Jack turned his head away from the table.

Falcon crouched down on the table so he was looking the bandaged clown in the face. "Not so Jack. You have a soft spot for women!"

Ayame giggled. Rouge spoke. "A weakness shared by many men everywhere."

Falcon stood back up. "My point exactly. But Jack has a very profound weakness for it. Whereas Jack may have had a soft spot, so he says, Other Jack's soft spot should have grown at least ten fold. He should be obsessed with the poor shielas."

"And with Jack's sick mentality" Ayame was interrupted by a glare from the one eyed knife wielder. "Um, supposed sick mentality, that would explain why he rips them to shreds and steals their jewels and treasures."

Accel banged the table with his gun's holster. "I'm getting at what you're saying! We can lay out a trap and use his weaknesses to our use!"

"Very impressive." Galuda nodded.

"Yes, but using live bait is too risky. Does Jack have another weakness?" Rouge asked.

Everyone looked towards the dagger polisher, who immediately put his daggers down. After a few disturbing minutes, Jack finally caved in. "I have a weak spot for hehehehehe shinies." 

"Shinies? The hell is that?" Falcon was puzzled.

"Shinies is what Jack calls jewels, gems, or other 'shiny' objects." Galuda pointed out.

"Ah, that would explain why these nobility girls don't have any family jewels on them." Accel agreed.

"So, we can lay out a trap with gems for Other Jack to find! That should lure him out!" Ayame said with enthusiasm.

"Yea, but we'll also catch every human being this side of Paris, plus some crows, rats, and magpies. Maybe an ostrich or two." Rouge added.

"True, true. Well Jack. Any other weaknesses we could put to use?" Falcon asked.

"As I said before, Jack has no weaknesses. Try as you might, you won't find one. Hehehehe." Jack laughed.

"Well, arrogance could be one." Galuda said.

"We can't really use that to trap Other Jack can we?" Ayame said.

"I guess we're left with nothing to use but plan A." Falcon jumped off the table.

"I forget. What's plan A?" Accel asked.

Falcon turned towards the group. "We're just going to have to use one of our highly trained warrior women here as bait. One he gets in range, we jump the fool."

"Now wait a minute! You can't be risking lives to capture him!" Accel argued.

"I thought you were a cowboy Tex. Did that kind of thing every day in the Wild West!" Falcon prodded his finger against the blonde American's chest.

"There's a difference. There I risked my own neck, not any one else's." Accel replied.

"Well guess what! If we don't do something, more innocent defenseless ladies are gonna end up without a head for who knows how long! If you don't want to get involved, leave it to the seasoned professionals who have actually seen a power stone!" Falcon roared.

"Excuse me Falcon! I know you have a point and all, but don't we get a say in this?" Ayame stood up.

Galuda glanced at Jack, who had become confused. The tension in the air was so thick, you could have cut it with a butter knife. Each member of the party looked to see who would make the first swing. Edward Falcon or John Accel. 

"I've probably seen more action than you in one month of my life, Tory!" Accel gritted his teeth.

"Only in your dreams, American trash!" Falcon spat back.

"I've been taking your bull since day one. I don't know who made you leader, but they made the wrong choice in picking you!"

"And I don't know why you decided to tag along! Ever since you joined this little operation has gone south!"

"I'm staying because I believe I can help the people of this town, but you're making it hard as buffalo chips!"

"Than why don't you leave?" Falcon narrowed his blue eyes.

"Fella's! Please, it's been a long day and we've been up half the night! I think we need a break." Rouge interjected.

The two blondes were growling at each other like maddened wolves, snarling with ferocity. Galuda stood up and picked up Falcon in his huge arms. Ayame tugged at Accel's side. Rouge was left to watch Jack as they all headed back to their quarters back at Swan manor. Hopefully a nights rest would balance the humors inside both of their bodies…

** *

Sunlight dawned upon the rooftops of Manches once again. The pink sky rose in the heavens, shooing away the darkness like an old woman to a cat. Many of the townsfolk of this quaint town were still asleep, however, there was a small group about and stirring. In the marketplace they were, purchasing the goods they would need to bring a killer to his knees. Such items were to be bought carefully and cautiously, naturally making Rouge the foreman on purchasing mystical items. However, the pink sky was soon giving way to the gray clouds in the skies. It looked as if it were to rain this day. Clouds weren't the only things brewing in Manches.

"Tut tut, looks like rain." Falcon rhymed.

"Try to keep focused Falcon. I need you to find a pound of Kings wart. I'm sure they carry it somewhere here." Rouge handed the pilot a parchment. 

"I'll find it, but exactly why do we need a pound of plants?" Falcon asked.

"Kings wart helps stabilize a wound." Rouge answered. That's all Falcon needed to know. He was soon off into the market place like a bat out of hell.

Galuda stepped forward. As a chieftain, he knew many herbal cures and remedies. Rouge turned to the giant, smiling.

"Ah, Galuda. I know you're perfectly capable of mixing up a broth or two, but I need you to get some net and pails of water." Rouge instructed.

"I know what you need them for. You are truly wise, lady Rouge." Galuda said.

"Thank you Galuda. Now be off with you, I have to deal with these three." Rouge nodded towards Accel, Ayame, and Jack. Galuda understood and trotted off.

"What do you want Accel and I to get Rouge? We can go all over Manches to get it! It's no problem!" Ayame squealed.

"I know you're just looking for some quiet time with your friend Ayame, but I actually need you to keep an eye on Jack. I have to run an errand only I can do." Rouge told her.

Ayame 's eyes darkened. Accel looked confused. After all, he thought of Ayame just as a friend. Jack was twiddling with his thumbs. He was not allowed to wield his daggers in public.

"Look. You three can go fetch me some chain, if you really need something to do. Rope won't hold Other Jack long." Rouge offered.

"We'll take it ma'am." Accel grinned. "Come Ayame, Jack, lets get going!"

Rouge could only smile as the cowboy, ninja, and clown sprinted down a third path through the market. For some reason, she felt motherly to Ayame. She wasn't that much older, yet she had the experience of a thousand ages.

"That's the price for being gifted I suppose." Rouge whispered to herself. "Too busy to have a childhood."

Rouge hopped up a flight of stairs towards the upper market place. She soon disappeared down an olden corridor.

The woman flicked hair from her eyes. Sure, she was an easygoing person, who would chuckle at every given opportunity. She even seemed like a child to herself, but she was now an adult. An adult who had been working all her young life.

** *

The streets were always full in Mahdad. It was an important stop along many trade routes that ran through the sands of the Middle East. The Arabic city was also a stronghold for the British, who held the area underneath an iron grip. Between the British, the tribal warlords, and the sultan life for Mahdads permanent residency was always full of chaos and strife. Thirteen long years earlier, in the midsts of the struggle between the Ottoman and British Empires, a family was starving on the street. It was not uncommon -don't be fooled- for a family to be on the streets. Persia's emergence into the modern world was not one of beauty and grace. There was a mother, wrapped in traditional robes and garments of dark purple, her face hidden as all women's were. The father had been long dead, shot in the street. There were four children, two sons and two daughters. One son was fourteen and working with the shepherds, tending to flocks of sheep. The other son was eight. He, too, was away at work, trying to earn a living for his family. The two girls were of seven and one. The infant was in constant care from her mother, leaving the family business to Rouge, the eldest girl. She had picked up the trade from her mother. Some thought it sad that such a young girl had to work. But then, times were hard.

One hot and dusty day, a man, dressed in the long robes and turban of a Bedouin, walked inside the young Rouge's tent. Rouge, much smaller than before, and with lots less hair, sat behind her mother's sole possession: a crystal ball. She smiled at the man, who neatly unwrapped his face as he sat down.

"What can I do for you, O mighty walker of the sands?" Rouge asked. "Would you like your palm read, your cards read, or your fortune told in a crystal ball?"

The man laughed. A hearty laugh it was. So loud and boisterous, full of cheer. She wished she could laugh like that. "I would like my fortune told to me inside this crystal ball, please."

Rouge darkened the tent by closing the door. She sat closer to the orb, waving her hands in front of it in a whirling fashion. After a few incantations, images appeared. Images of the man walking in fields of fire, without being burned.

"I see you walk through fire, unhurt." Rouge began. The man laughed. "And I see you dance in it. You dance not in the flames, but with the flames. I see… I see that you use these abilities to better yourself. You shall reap profits from your dance; you shall gain power and respect. I see that you are a leader among your men. To do the right thing, you must meet with a man who calls himself Laurence."

The man laughed again. "I had no idea that a simple fire dance such as myself would gain so much." He laughed once more. Rouge felt the ends of her lips rise. It gave her pleasure to make others happy. She never wanted to see anyone as miserable as her family. The man wiped tears from his eyes, but noticed the strange look upon Rouges face. "Is there something the matter, little one?"

In truth, Rouge had actually begun shedding tears, seeing the man laugh like that. She shook her head and sniffed. The man would have none of this. "Where is your family? Where is your father and mother?"

Rouge liked the man. He seemed to care where others had not. His smile was bright, and his eyes sparkling. "My father is dead …and my mother lives upon the streets, caring for my infant sister. My brothers and I help bring in food and clothing through our work, but it is never enough."

The man frowned. "That is no life for a girl such as yourself. You are much too talented and pretty to live the life of a street rat. Come with me. Your family would be welcome into my tribe of fire dancers. "

Rouge lightened up. "R-really?!"

"Would I lie to a girl as charming as you? I shall teach you the fire dance my self. If what your fortune says will come true, than the fire dancers path shall be placed upon you too!"

** *

Rouge wiped a tear from her eye as she walked briskly through an abandoned tunnel. She had become so lost in her thoughts that she lost track of where she was. Obviously this wasn't the market place. She turned her head towards her rear, gazing at just how far she had walked in. She must have been in here for at least ten minutes. She sighed as she turned towards the entrance. The only means of telling that this was the entrance was the presence of light. At least an hour must have passed.

"Well, what have I gotten myself into?" She asked herself as she walked out of the tunnel.

Little did she notice the lone red eye watching her from the darkened far end of the tunnel…

** *


	10. X

The skies had darkened quite a bit since Rouge's absence of the real world. The high vaulted tops of the surrounding French buildings were already soaked to the very marrow, if such a thing could be. Rouge shook her pretty head at he lack of for planning.

"I should have known better." She sighed. She'd have to run all the way back to the restaurant they met at before. Every one was probably already there. She quickly trotted through the down coming pour, attempting to reach the "Du Jour", the restaurant. 

The rain only become worse, which forced Rouge to retreat into a small alcove under an overhead. It was practically a whiteout; one could barely see a foot in front of. Rouge sulked and sat herself against the stonewall.

However, not everyone saw this as a curse. Ayame Uematsu and John Accel were indeed stuck out of the weather. Fortunately, they had receded into a homely little spot in an old bell tower. Not another soul, save the pesky Jack, was around. Jack started to scurry up the bell tower's stairs as Ayame and Accel attempted to dry themselves. Both laughed at the futile attempt and sat down near the beginning of the wooden steps. Jack was gone, up the tower, but the two didn't bother to give chase.

"So… it's just us here alone in the rain…" Ayame started.

"…Yup." Accel replied.

"Well, what is on your mind, Accel?" Ayame asked.

"Oh nothing, really. Just thinking about home." Accel stated.

"Oh. So what's Texas like?"

"Well… Texas is like a big dusty field… yea. Like a big dusty field, where you can just walk in and claim a piece for yourself. Just expanses of nothing, where people have either started to plant cotton on their claims, or dig for oil. You can herd the cattle for days in and days out without ever seeing some one else's land. The only thing really connecting the people of Texas is the railroads. Without the trains, it's like a thousand little countries all on the same dusty field…"

"Wow. Back in Nippon, you can't go an hour without stumbling onto some one's pagoda."

"Bet the people in Japan are all friendly though, living so close to each other and all."

"Nah. We may be all serving the Emperor, but each daimyo fights with another, sending his entire county to war with the county of another daimyo. Trust me, things are never stable in Nippo-, I mean Japan." Ayame picked up a twig and drew on the gravel floor.

"Really. We may not see each other much in Texas, but every time we do, it's a gunfight. It's either you were stealing some ones cattle, looking at some ones girl, or just too ugly."

"Really?! I thought it was different."

"Haven't you ever heard of the Wild West?! The last frontier?"

"Not really."

"You're amazing kid. What are you drawing?"

"Oh, I'm just doodling a train. See the happy man?" Ayame pointed with the stick to the conductor.

Accel looked closer at the dirt. "That's a good train, but here's what you're missing." Accel took the stick and starting adding onto the train with precise and accurate details. After a couple minutes of silence, Accel dropped the stick and leaned back. "There. That's a train!"

"Wow! You're really good at drawing? Did you spend a lot of time with trains when you were in Texas?"

"Yea, you could say that…"

"Hey Accel, …what do you think …of me?"

Accel leaned forward and glanced at the little Asian girl. He studied her face, her features, and churned his face in thought. "Well, I think you're an interesting girl with a funny name, no offence. I think you're funny, interesting, and, um, pretty."

"Really?" Ayame drew herself closer to Accel.

"Yea, defiantly A O.K. in my book. So what do you think of me?" Accel smiled.

"You're a dashing good looking American who knows no limits. You're tough, ornery, and fun to be with. I totally disagree with Falcon." Ayame smiled.

"Ornery eh? I don't even think you know the word." Accel laughed.

"Ha! You're right. It's a word you Westerners use a lot, like … cow poke …and …little …doggie."

And before a breath more could pass Ayame's lips, she closed her eyes and felt those soft pink lips press against the Westerners own. Her heart skipped a beat. She was excited, but at the same time calm. She hoped the rain would never cease and the moment would never end. Finally, an exciting man who shared the same concept she did. The exact opposite of the suitors her father had sent her over the years. Inside, she was happy.

** *

The bell tower was a high one, but it was no problem for Jack. The white rain fell outside, visible from the glassless windows that were on all four side of the squares shaft. Climbing was no problem for the bandaged one. He was happy to be away from the lovebirds. He knew that they were only doing what they were ordered to, but at the same time, they were his captors. Jack had had enough imprisonment and didn't wish to be a part of any more. His red eye narrowed as he reached the giant bronze bell, carved on it' skin the word "Charlemagne". Jack didn't know or cared whom the bell was named after. He perched upon the great ancient wooden rafter that held the several-ton musical instrument aloft, juggling the daggers in his two hands. There was no thunder or lightning. Just the tireless "pitta patta's" of rain striking the pyramidal roof.

"Stupid young ones. Know not the dangers of Other Jack. Too busy chitta chatta and jibba jabba to pay attention. Hehehe. Other Jack is sure to rip them apart, and I shall laugh. Laugh! Hahahahaha!"

In the midst of his tirade, the leper leaped to an arched window and dug his daggers to the outside stone of the tower. Swinging himself into the storm, he jabbed his way to the very top of the bell tower. Once there, Jack raised himself into the eerie position he had held in all of his fight and gazed through the waters of heaven across Manches. Night was coming soon and Jack decided he could do it alone.

"Other Jack, where are youuuuuuuuuu?" Jack sang in his high-pitched voice. "Hahaha! Real Jack is free and I will kiiiiiiilllllll you with my own two daggers! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Lightning finally flashed across the darkening twilight, illuminating the insane clown to the grounds around. His one eye showed a face of insane humor. In a flash, Jack leaped off the tower towards the buildings below. Other Jack was dangerous, but Jack didn't need an army of idiots beind him. He only needed one other man.

** *

Night had fallen, and all was in darkness. The rain was so bad that the lamp boy could not run the city and light the posts. Rouge was left to her hole in the dark. Her thoughts had taken her again and she became lost in her own past. She eventually fell asleep.

Several hours had passed. Midnight almost stretched across the still raining skies. Rouge was still in her sanctuary. There was no light. The only thing that could distinguish that one was awake was the constant sound of the rain tapping the concrete path outside. What awoke Rouge was a hand gently falling on her shoulder.

Her eyes flitted lazily. She turned her head towards the person, squinting trying to see whomever it was. More noticeably, the hand was wrapped in white bandage.

"…Jack?" She asked in a tired voice.

The person did not answer, only the delight in the red lonely eye in the dark responded. Rouge raised an eyebrow in question. Ever since she met Jack, she always though him as an odd fellow. But this  was stranger than normal. She tried to pick herself up to stand, but found the hand was applying force, keeping her stationed to the dark floor.

"Jack, what are you doing? I don't know how you got out of Ayame and that Accel's keep, but we have to get back to the restaurant. I'm sure by now everyone is worried sick." Rouge reasoned.

Still the person did not answer.

"JACK?! This isn't funny! Let go!" Rouge began to become angry. She turned her head suddenly in an attempt to get loose when her golden hairpiece shined brilliantly in the night air.

"Hehehehehe. Shinies…" The bandaged creature breathed.

** *

Falcon paced around inside the Du Jour. The lights were dim, as the owners of the eatery had gone to their beds some time ago. There was only the aviator and Galuda. Galuda sat at a table, watching the pilot create patterns in the floor with his heels.

"They should have been here hours ago. We had our items before one this afternoon! Where could Rouge and Ayame be?!" Falcon asked himself for the fiftieth time that day.

"They may have got stuck in the storm." Galuda suggested.

"I don't think that the storm's that bad, Galuda! They're also stuck out there with Jack and Other Jack." Falcon shook his blonde head.

"Ayame has the American with her. That should provide some reassurance." Galuda offered.

"That Accel character? He couldn't protect a cat from a mouse!" Falcon scoffed.

"He is American, but I fear you under estimate him friend." Galuda said.

"I don't under estimate anyone! …I just hope that Julia's O.K in this dreadful weather." Falcon sighed.

"I don't see what would be wrong with her, but I do see what's wrong with this mission." Galuda spoke.

"Really? Tell me, I'd like to know!" Falcon replied.

"For one thing, it's everyone's attitudes. If all of you would stop bickering with each other for three minutes, I am sure we would have caught on to the felons trail by now. Do you not see?" Galuda advised.

"Well, maybe we wouldn't be arguing if Yankee Doodle hadn't decided to jump on the band wagon when we needed seasoned professionals!" Falcon shot back.

"It doesn't matter anymore. You should learn to get over things like that and make what you have now into a manageable situation." Galuda spoke calmly.

Falcon kept silent. His face was filled with anger and frustration at the same time. After a couple moments, he decided it was best to change the subject.

"So, …how'd you meet Doe?" Falcon asked.

"I had known her a long time. She was the chieftain's daughter. In my tribe, everyone knows everyone." Galuda said.

"O.K… so how did you become romantically involved with her?" Falcon urged him to move on.

"Doe and I were always friends. When I saved the village from the one armed man's poison, the chieftain gave me his daughter." Galuda answered.

Falcon put on a confused look. "Gave you?"

"Yes. I was awarded his daughter for my efforts to save the tribe. Do not take it the wrong way. We are still lovers." Galuda explained.

"Oh. I bet you're dying to go home right now and be with her, huh?"

"I do not like the white man's world. It is not for me. I am here to fulfill my promise to Jack. He saved my life, I owe this to him. I do miss the snowy fields, the bison running in it, and the morning sun over the red jagged mountains."

"Sounds nice and all, but I think I prefer good old Londo. Filled with thousands of people walking the streets in their nice suits and all. I think it would start to snow there. Of course, Londo doesn't have Julia…"

"You seem to like Ms. Swan a lot."

"You said it. She's smart, beautiful, extravagant, and charming. We had courted several years ago."

Falcon stopped pacing and sat down next to Galuda.  Galuda asked a question while he played with a fork. "Why did you stop?"

Falcon grabbed for a knife and absent-mindedly chiseled away at the rough table. "I dunno. I guess back then I was too much of handsome man for her."

"Do you think that it could have been your ego?"

"Nah. I'm not egotistical. I'm just proud of my talents. That's all. That couldn't be it."

"Mayhap you were away too much, on your airplane adventures?"

"I don't think so. I was only away for half the year, every year we… courted… ah crap."

Galuda smiled. "Your women are different from my women, Falcon. My women will do whatever the man pleases, for he is always thinking of what's best for her and the rest of the tribe. Your women do not know this, and I don't necessarily think that your men are always thinking of what is best for their women. In your world, you must always heed to her word, for it is the only saving grace."

"…Good Lord Galuda. How did you ever get to know all of this stuff?"

"I traveled the world searching for the cure. I noticed things about the cultures I passed through. It's called being observant." Galuda tapped his forehead.

"I've traveled all over the world as well. But I guess I was too gung-ho looking for the power stone or trying to be the modern Dr. Livingston to notice all of the little things." Falcon laughed.

"We should probably rest. Everyone is most likely O.K." Galuda said.

"Yea, you're right. Thanks Galuda." Falcon said.

** *

The rain was still pouring outside in the dark. Ayame and Accel had long been looking for their responsibility, other wise known as Jack. They had searched every square inch of the tower twice in the hours since they noticed he was gone.

Accel shook his head." He's not here, Ayame."

"No! He has to be here John! Where else could he be?!" Ayame panicked.

"It's Accel and I don't know. He seemed like a nimble fellow. Maybe he leaped out the window."

Ayame looked out the window. In the dark and rain, it was difficult to measure the distance between the window and the next building. With her ninja training, even Ayame would find it hard to reach one of the other rooftops. She bit her lip, thinking of where the bandaged killer could have gone.

"Maybe we should head back to the restaurant and tall the others." Accel asked.

"No. Jack was our responsibility. We'll never hear the end of it. Think of what Falcon will be like!" Ayame turned on her friend.

"I'm too busy thinking about what the constable will say. We could be hanged for this!" Accel said.

"I thought you were living on the edge Accel."

"I've been to a lot of hangings back out west, several of them my own, but I don't know what the French are like in punishment."

Ayame frowned. "…You're right. But I don't want to tell the others right away. We should look some more first."

Accel looked at the bell. "Alright. I don't know how well you can see in dark rainy weather, but let's have a go at it."

Ayame smiled and took to the stairs heading down. There was no time to waist. None at all.

** *


	11. XI

                Thunder crashed out in the world such as that of a train crash. The sky was dark, so incredibly deep in the abyss of night that one could not see a man fifteen feet away. Rain fell from the sky in torrents. The water barrels had overflowed themselves hours ago, and steady rivers of water shot from the gutters as if they were fire hoses. Fortunately, most of Manches dwellers had tucked themselves away in their beds and spent their time in the sunny warm days of their dreams. Their dreams carried them in any weather save this kind - let me tell you.

                However, to your and my surprise, there were humans in this rain, along with something less of a man. This weather formed smothering blankets of cold November rain over the creatures, which were all in a desperate struggle of some kind. Woe to any beast, bird, fish, or man traveling these deserted roads in the hour of the tempest. The hour hand had passed midnight several hours ago, and two clangs did the bells ring. The players in this drama were separated and lost to the thoughts and plans of each other. Now let the play unfold.

                Lightning cracked the sky into several pieces, illuminating a horrible creature perched on a triangular cone of a rooftop. Jack gazed about, searching the city for his other self. His blood and flesh, his foe. In the streets below, the lamps fired viciously, trying to maintain themselves in order. Leaping to a far building, Jack dug his daggers deep into the shingled roof. Thus he saved himself from slipping to a plummeting doom. With enormous strength, the man hauled himself up to the top. Jack closed his eye, placing a dagger near his face. He could feel it. Other Jack was here. Somewhere around here. Suddenly, light burned below. Something was ablaze in the tunnel. Peeking the clowns curiosity, Jack scrambled for the near point of the roof, trying to catch a glimpse of the action.

                "Hehehehe. Fire dancer no doubt, fighting myself. Hehehehe." Jack laughed. He then aimed to the siding, slinking himself down like a spider. Like a spider wrapped in a mans disguise…

** *

                Rouge, by all means the Fire Dancer, was trying to fend off the attacker. The in construction tunnel was lighted violently as flames emerged around Rouge. The offender, a tall, lanky bandaged creature with one red eye and twin daggers leaped backwards with the precision of a locust. Rouge lit a flame upon her silk glove fingers and watched the attacker. Her face was the entity of determination. The bandaged green coated man moved too swift to get a good look, but this was defiantly Jack or his clone. If what was said earlier about the latter was true, then she in for quite the ride.

                "Fiend! If you're looking to slay a woman this night, then you've chosen the wrong target!" Rouge shouted at the thing. 

                "HE------HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! None stop the fun of Jack!" Other Jack shouted.

                "Is that so?! Then let's see how you like to play with fire!" Rouge bellowed.

                Rouge leaped forward, flinging her feminine right arm, trailing a line of fire through the moist air. Jack flipped through the air, placing himself unto the stone curvature of a ceiling. He then dropped behind Rouge, swinging the dagger with a swift blow. Rouge was able to dodge just be a hair. She quickly placed a finger behind her head, making sure the dagger hadn't cut. No blood. Good. Other Jack swung again, slicing a good portion of Rouge's long braid clean off. Rouge leaped backwards, sending a volley of fireballs towards the fiend. Where Other Jack was caught, he blazed. Other Jack was soon dotted in fire, which was quickly consuming him.

                Rouge placed a hand to her hip. "No man cuts Rouge the Scorching beauty and lives!"

                But not one howl came from the beast. Other Jack flung himself onto the ground and quickly extinguished himself. His jacket had been burned, however he seemed in total unhurt. This was surprising.

                "Hahahahahahaha! Fool! None can cut Jack the Slayer! Tis I who will cut you! HE---hehehehehehehehehe!" Jack laughed.

                Rouge brought several more fireballs into her palms, preparing to lunge them at the foe. Jack leaped forward. The Scorching beauty sent the flaming orbs flying, but every one fell behind as Jack rose higher and higher into the tunnel. With the force of an ox he crashed into the ground, narrowly missing the lady. His blades buried an inch into the stone earth below. Rouge stepped back as Other Jack attempted to pry loose his weapons of disaster. 

                "Hehehehehe! Come here my pretty! Jack likes pretties. Just stand still so I can drink your screams!" The green-coated monstrosity roared.

                His weapons were free from the earth. Other Jack scuttled across the floor at unimaginable speeds like that of an insect, human bones breaking with every step. Other Jack soon gained enough momentum and lunged daggers first at the woman. But with a quick flaming round house, Other Jack crashed into the wall.

                "That should teach you to mess with me!" Rouge panted. Crates, signs, and tools were either crushed or ablaze.  The Jack creature did not stir from his position behind several smashed boxes. The blow would have been strong enough to kill any normal man. Rouge did not want to step any closer, but she had to see if he were alive.

                Rouge stepped closer with every step. Slowly she made her way towards the crates. Slowly, ever so slowly, she peered into the dark crater in the stonewall. In a blink of an eye a dagger came rushing out, just snipping the very end of Rouge's ear. Blood began to flow, licking the side of her face like that of a small stream. Her ear was still whole. Instinctively, Rouge poured fire into the hole as if she were creating her own blazing hell. Fire came blazing out to meet the dark rain, engulfing the entire tunnel as it slid out. 

                The Jack upon the rooftop narrowed his one eye as he paid witness to the inferno. Flames burst out as if it were a volcano, leaving every stone in the tunnel charred. Immediately, great clouds of steam rose into the night, becoming denser with every passing moment. 

                "Hoohahahahahaha Hahahahahahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Jack howled with laughter. He raised his daggers to the rainy skies and laughed at them. "Oh how they tempt fate's sickly hands! Fools! Ahahahahahahaha!"

 Rouge fell to the ground. Most of the flames had burnt themselves out. However, the tunnel was still Dante's Inferno, seeming more like a recreation of Hell than an unfinished tunnel. Rouge felt certain that Other Jack had burned an agonizing death. She expected to find the charred remains of him, still clinging the blades, which would have melted. She smiled as she sweated.

                She couldn't have been more wrong.

                Rising from the flames like that of a ghost, Other Jack's blackened form crushed the burning crates about him. The look in his eye remarked happiness. Rouge was at a loss for words.

                "Hahahahahahaha! Your flames are nothing to me! They do, however, hehehe create a fitting atmosphere. Do you think not?" Other Jack mocked.

                Rouge could not do anything but stare in disbelief.

                From outside the tunnel, Jack heard the swish of a blade and the scream of a woman amidst the crackling fires. And for some reason this brought a look of cheer to the leper's bandaged face…

** *

Accel placed a hand to his hat to adjust the brim. The constant waterfalls that had made a new home with his hat distorted his view of the French town. It was driving him nuts, so to say.

Ayame caught up with the cowboy, allowing her self try and wipe water from her face. It was futile. "What's going on Accel?"

Accel frowned, not once glancing to Ayame. "I smell a fire. A big un too."

Ayame's own keen senses turned on, allowing her sensitively trained nostrils to pick up the odor of burning wood. "Aye, so it seems. That's peculiar." 

"I'd say so, especially with this kind of weather." Accel stated.

"Do you think it has a connection with Jack?" Ayame asked.

"I'm way ahead of you partner. Let's get going!" Accel started to rush ahead.

Of coarse, Ayame is no turtle when coming to speed, mind you. In a flash she was out pacing the American, finally kicking her ninja talents in by leaping to and fro on the sides of the French architecture.

Accel could only grin. "And she says her ninja skills are of no use…"

It was only a matter of a score or so minutes before the lightning reflexes of Ayame Uematsu brought her to the wicked scene unfolding before her. The gates of hell had opened before her, taking on the persona of a tunnel a gape. Barrels crushed, wagons smashed, crates burning away. And the frail form of Jack sat on his haunches before the scene, glimmering in the watery light.

"Ha! So the child comes to senses, so it seems. Hahahahahaha!" Jack cackled as Ayame slowed her pace. The fire reflected in evil ways in the rain and soaked street.

"Jack… what is going on?" Ayame had to ask.

Jack had his back turned to her. He was fondling something in his hands, out of sight. "Tis nothing of your concern, girl."

"Now Jack, that is no way to talk to your supervisor! Now what in the name of the Emperor is going on?!" Ayame fussed.

"Supervisor? You insolent wench! Hahahahaha! You think you are superior to Jack? Jack the Slayer? Tis Jack whom has no faults, unlike a small girl like you." Jack chuckled.

Ayame raised an eyebrow, ignoring Jack's rude language. "What do you have in your hands?"

"Only shinies! Shinies for Jack, none for a small girl like you!" Jack said in a wicked tongue.

With great skill, Ayame bounded to her right, only to become shocked by the item's visage. In Jack's cradled hands was Rouge's golden hair band.

"Get your filthy eyes off my shiny, you beast!" Jack shouted in his high-pitched voice.

"What… have you… done? You killed Rouge…" Ayame stuttered.

"The beautiful woman … ahahahah …I did in." Jack took precise measure of each loving word.

"WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING?!" Ayame screamed as she burst into tears.

"I do what I must. I do as Itells me to do! Jack …loves …womens …and …loves ….shinies." Jack responded.

"YOU- YOU MONSTER!" Ayame propped a shrunken in her fingers with lightning skill. She braced herself and through the metal star, sending it flying towards the hunched over thing.

But Jack was able to dodge the ninja star so fast he was trailing images of himself in the firelight. He was upon Ayame in half a second. Her back was on the stone floor as she fought to keep the insect like clown off her. The daggers were a breath's width from her face.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA haha. Woman you are not, but a potential kill you are!" Jack breathed.

Ayame clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, expecting a painful end. But what she heard was quite different. A gunshot resounded through the tunnel outer court, and the oppressive weight upon her was lifted off. She opened her eyes.

Accel walked towards, her his six shooters firing away at the green-coated Jack. Shot after shot was fired from the silver pistols and Jack's form flailed in every direction as he took every blow. Accel arrived at Ayame as Jack finally fell to the ground.

"Ayame! Are you still alive?" Accel asked.

Ayame picked herself up, due to both of Accel's hands preoccupied with aiming at the fallen creature. "I think so."

"I told you that he was trouble from day one, didn't I. But no one wanted to listen to me, the American. I-I'm not American by choice you know. It is the fact that I was born unto the nation I was. But now I know I'm right, for once, in the presence of European intellectuals."

Ayame suddenly felt a wave of pity for the cowboy. "You saved my life Accel. I don't think any one else would have been able to do it in the time you did."

As the two conversed, the fire licked the stone in the tunnels. The rain still fell, and the limp figure of Jack stirred. The charred holes in the green over coat began to shrink until the disappeared. The rain danced in the firelight as the holes vanished. Jack began to rise.

"Hehehehehehe." Jack's red eye glowed in the darkness.

The two warriors turned their face towards the creature. Mouth a gape, Accel stepped back. Ayame stared wide-eyed in horror.

"Fools! Do you not know who I am! I am Jack the Slayer! I shall never fall to mortal hands! Gahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Jack shouted.

"O-Other Jack?" Ayame questioned.

"I-I shot him! Twelve bullets! Every one flew inside him! Every one!" Accel recounted in disbelief.

Other Jack staggered forward, towards the fear stricken couple. One hand raised a dagger, the other taunting them as the fire burned behind him. Manches was burning away in the storm, and the ghost who haunted her was alive and well. Unexpectedly, twin streams of fire burst from the tunnel entrance, knocking the vile Jack down. Amidst the flames, a familiar sight walked out.

"Always make sure your foe is dead, fiend!" The battered and bloody Rouge spat.

"ROUGE?! You're alive!" Ayame shouted with glee.

"Aye, thanks to Jack." Rouge said as she watched the burning Other Jack rise.

As if on cue, the Jack other than Other Jack sprang from the tunnel like a bat out of Hell. He flung himself upon his adversary, knives digging deep into Other Jack. 

"Other Jack?! When will you die, you disobedient wretch!" Other Jack called to Jack as he pried him loose and smashed him into the stone floor. The courtyard caved in a foot with the blow.

"Jack!" Ayame called.

Other Jack's dagger hilt mysteriously crashed into the back of Accels' skull. The move was so fast that no had seen the move. Accel fell to the wet street, blood oozing from the back of his head.

"Accel!" Ayame shouted.

Ayame tried to strike at Other Jack with a quick kick, but she was just too slow. Other Jack rose into the air with a single bound.

"Rouge! Look out!" Ayame launched herself across the courtyard to knock Rouge out of the way. 

Other Jack sent a dagger hurtling to Earth with an accurate throw. The dagger buried itself in Rouge's shoulder. Rouge fell down. She had taken several blows before, and this was the last straw her stamina could hold. The dagger unburied itself from Rouge's flesh and flew through the raining night air until it met Other Jack's hand. With a gleeful laugh, he vanished like smoke in the wind, not to be seen for another night.

Ayame glanced at the sky as she hauled Rouge away from the flames.

"What in the name of all that is great have we got ourselves into?" Ayame asked herself.

The clock struck three, and the faint clamor of the bell tower echoed through the night…


	12. XII

A larks sweet serenade brought a musical background to the late November morning. However, the earthly scene was in need of a much darker foreboding soundtrack. Dozens of the constable's men, along with several construction workers, the governor's representatives, the bank men, and overall town folks milled about in the half destroyed courtyard to the tunnel. The first chill was in the air, and blankets and warm drinks were served to all the gentlemen around. The last red leaf fell off a tree in the park nearby. Winter was soon coming.

Julia Swan and her financier were about as well, taking in the damage and accumulating how much they'd have to pay. Edward Falcon was here and there, also around, trying to keep the swarms of townsfolk.

Galuda, the kind and large Native American was dressing Rouge's wounds as he listened to her tell the tale. Not far off, Accel was recounting the scene to the constable, and Ayame stood confused, watching a wounded Jack sit still for once. It was a sad scene indeed. The clouds had cleared and the sun did shine. But the sun did not shine for these warriors.

Rouge shook her head and stared at the ground. "…I must have gone berserk on him at least a thousand times within the hour last night. With those some attacks and strengths I used, I could have killed maybe fifty good men."

"It is not your fault Rouge. …Other Jack is created from a power stone remember? His powers are greater than any of ours." Galuda winded a bandage around her arm.

"I know, but his powers… were so immense! I still cannot believe what I say, and you could never understand until you've laid your eyes on what this creature lived through without crying in pain! Not once did he cry in pain!"

"Rouge, I think you may have took a blow to the head. What you describe is certainly unbelievable. Have you look in the tunnel? It looks as if a volcano erupted within last night!"

"I know what I saw Galuda! He didn't cry out in pain! Not even once!"

Galuda flipped a hand to his brow and flicked his long black hair from his face. His face was the epidemy of puzzlement.

Rouge just shook her head in disdain. She no longer had that long beautiful hair everyone was use to. She repeated. "He didn't cry out in pain… not even once."

Galuda finished her arm. She was looking better, but she seemed to be having some kind of mental problem. Was Other Jack really as horrible as she said?

Gourmand, Julia's expert cook, came by with a trolley full of gastronomical delight. Blackberry and honey crumble with sliced apples and crystallized pear, along with some fine elderberry wine. He came upon the two and offered a slice of the delicious food.

"It looks like quite a scramble went on here. It's a good thing you're not seriously hurt." Gourmand said.

Rouge took the plate but couldn't bring herself to smile. She ate the food slowly, as if her entire being depended on each chew.

"Come now, eat! So what if you're current situation is bad! It can only get so bad!" Seeing his advice was getting nowhere, he leaned down and picked up Rouge's chin with his plump fingers and smiled into her face. "What I mean to say is, you have to look at what's happened, and learn from it. I can find that if I burn a pasty because it is in the oven for an hour, I know that is too long for a pasty to be in the oven."

Rouge looked into the man's bright eyes and smiled again. "Thanks Jean-Paul. I needed that."

Galuda nodded to the cook. "You truly are a wise man, though I know not what a pasty is."

Grinning, the gourmet cook took a nice hot sample from the trolley and presented it to Galuda. He gave a broad wink. "Then you're missing out on a grand piece of gastronomical delight, my friend. Try it."

Galuda took the pasty from Gourmand, scanning every square inch of the pasty's surface area. It smelled delicious, looked incredible, and felt invitingly warm. Galuda took a nibble, chewing slowly and thinking, his eyes turned to the top right corner of his sockets. He swallowed after a moment. "This is really good. Nice and flaky."

"Of course. After attempt after attempt, I've learned how to cook a pasty, just as you people will learn how to beat this Other Jack fellow."

"Hey Gourmand, can you pass me on of those?" Rouge asked.

Gourmand passed a pasty to Rouge and nodded.

** *

"I tell you constable, the last thing I remember is a second Jack knocking me out cold! I don't think he meant to kill me, cus I'm standing her right now!" Accel told the constable, who was writing everything down on a pad with an ink pen.

"I see, and this was after you shot twelve bullets into him?" the constable asked, almost sarcastically.

"It's the truth, God damn it! I emptied both of my colt six shooters into his chest, every bullet hitting him! He fell down and then got back up as if nothing happened!" Accel shouted.

"You must forgive me Mr. American, I just find it hard to believe that any thing, man or beast, would just get back up like nothing happened if he was shot twelve times!" The constable addressed.

"Then how about that tunnel!" Accel pointed to the burnt out hole. "Do you think any one could survive that?! Most of the tools in there are nothing more than puddles on the ground!"

"Right, and you say this 'Other Jack' emerged from the burning tunnel unharmed as well?"

"Look, I really don't need to be playing chicken shit games right now! I told you what happened to the best of my knowledge! There's three other people here that saw it and all of them say the same thing!"

"And the entire town of …Salem was it? Said they saw the devil walk among them! It's mass hysteria, you all are just seeing things." The constable put it.

"Listen dumb ass, I know what I saw was real! Mass Hysteria can't cut a woman in a hundred places, throw a man so hard into the ground that it cracks, or knock me out cold with one jab! If you don't want to believe me, go ahead, but the investigation is still on!" Accel said.

"Right, as long as Ms. Julia pays for all the damages here. Construction will be delayed for another month due to your antics. You're dismissed."

Accel was about to say something more, but decided it was best not to push his luck. The constable walked off to a deputy and gave his notes to him; speaking words that Accel didn't bother to pay attention to. It was a busy scene, and Accel wanted to escape.

Then Falcon arrived.

"Look, before you even start some kind of joke, excuse, or plan to shout, scream, or drive em into the ground, let me tell you that yes, I did screw up! O.K, I let Other Jack get us, knock us around, and tear us up! O.K, now you can keep your damn mouth shut Ed!" Accel shouted as he got into Falcon's face.

Falcon was shocked. Here he was going to offer his apologies and tell the cowboy he believed him, every detail about the horrifying experience in last night's storm. But now! Now, after what Mr. John Accel screamed, Falcon was going to speak nothing of the sort. He narrowed his eyes after a moment and spat back.

"Fine, Did a fine job of saving me energy and breath, Yankee! Now get going and get out of my sight, you wreck!" Falcon said venomously.

Accel pushed past the aviator, sending his shoulder ramming into Falcon's chest. "Good." He then stormed off to a scene unknown.

Falcon was visibly shaking with so much rage. If you do not understand yet why Falcon had shouted such horrid things to Accel, understand this: Falcon was a prideful man, whom very seldom apologized for anything. His word was just and right, and he never bothered to give his actions a second thought on nearly all counts. But when he finally did do this, and actually tried to apologize, lowering his pride for an error made, Accel just shoves it's all into his face. Now Accel did not do it on purpose either. Falcon had been treating him horribly the entire trip, and this morning he was not going to stand for it after the ordeal of Other Jack. Falcon stomped off in the other direction, heading to where Rouge, Galuda, and Gourmand were sitting.

** *

As Falcon stormed towards the cor4ner of a tall gray building, a tall, thin man clad in spectacles and a tailed over coat passed the many confused townsfolk, aiming for the Lady Julia, whom was busy speaking to a many of her financial advisors.

The man hastily pushed himself in to the circle. "Ms. Swan, we hate to inform you that if something of this caliber happens again, we'll have to put Jack the Slayer back into the dungeon! These kinds of things will not, let me repeat, WILL NOT be accepted by the governor or his representatives! What would the Prime Minister think?"

Julia excused herself from her fellows and tapped her parasol against the tall man's diamond studded collar. "Now hear me monsieur Abondeus, I do not think you should go and bother the Prime Minister about a small explosion within an unmanned in construction tunnel. He is still busy and all trying to fix the government after the last revolution twenty years ago. T'would be silly to bother him with such miniscule items!"

Monsieur Abondeus tapped his black shoes in an impatient manner. "Do not jest with me Lady Swan! Do take me seriously or I will put a stop to your investigation, despite your nobility! I am a reprehensive of the governor, and I am not to be taken lightly! Do you hear me?"

Julia sighed. "Yes, I do take you seriously. I shall pay for all damages caused in this incident and any others if they arise-"

"There will not be any more damages! This is the first and only! What if there were men still in this work place? They would have been incinerated! That would just not do! Unlike you, I have a respect for human life, thank you very much!"

"If you do then, you would let us continue this investigation and stop the mad beast that is slaying all the women! Do you think it too much to even bother trying to solve it?! You and your constables have done nothing!"

"I can tell you the murderer is loose ion these streets because of you! That Jack creature is the source of these deaths!" Monsieur Abondues was turning red. "ONE more mistake and you'll be in that dungeon along with him! I shall take my leave now. GOOD DAY MADAM!"

Abondues turned on his heel and marched off, huge text in one hand and nose held high. Julia's circles of financiers were silent, awaiting a move from Julia, who shook her head in despair.

** *

Ayame Uematsu was confused and scared. She stood alone, in the middle of the court. In reality, she was not alone at all, for she was thronged by the hundreds of businessmen going about on the business of such an event. But in mentality, she was by herself. At her side was Jack, who for some reason lay dormant and quiet. Rest assured he was neither dead nor sleeping.

"Why? Why was I spared? Why was I the only one that was not attacked by Other Jack?" Ayame asked herself in a quiet, monotone voice.

Jack sat Indian style, polishing his daggers.

Ayame turned to the bandaged man. "Don't you know anything? Why did he spare me?!" 

Jack looked at the girl as if for the first time. After a moment, he shook his head and continued polishing.

"Answer me damn you! He's you and you're him! Tell me why he didn't bother to kill me?!" Ayame shoved Jack.

"Wot do I look loik, a psychic? Jack only knows few things, made evident by these chains that I have around me." Jack said in an irritated mood.

"What are you talking about, chains? There's nothing around you at all!" Ayame tried to explain.

"Gah, your so stupid. You cannot see the invisible chains and weights tied around me! Jack do this and Jack do that! Send that man over to Jack and watch 'em! Never know wot that Jack's gonna do, Ee moight slay thee in the noight, that he will!" 

It struck Ayame then. This whole time, she thought of Jack as an insane creature who'd kill at the mere notion. But now, Jack was showing sighs on humanity. The whole time, every one treated him like a caged animal or a child. Sure Jack's reputation had preceded him and caused great mistrust, but how far did the adventurers have to go with this? She suddenly felt a wave of pity for the creature, the poor man wrapped in blood stained bandages. Underneath those bandages, even Jack was human.

"I'm… I'm sorry Jack. I guess I never thought of you as an equal, more like a dog or cattle that was only useful for one cause." Ayame confessed.

"Bah, You know nothing of the torture of Jack! I have not a single bit of respect, and am sent to an eternity of punishment, just for liking pretty girls and their jewelry. And for these damned bandages! DAMAN WRAPPINGS! HA HA HAHAHAHA DAMN BANDAGES HAHAHAHAHA!" Jack began to shriek.

Ayame put her fingers to where Jack's mouth should be, an almost motherly attempt to stop a child from wailing in displeasure.

"Hush now. Shhhhhhhhhhh…" Ayame sat down on her haunches to be at eye level with the green-coated monstrosity. "Calm yourself Jack. You're a very special person. I… I now see beyond your outer layer. You are a human, you have a soul too. Think of yourself as … as an onion. On the outside, there is an ugly, brittle, smelly layer. But on the inside, there is a center in which people enjoy. I don't think anyone has ever got to your center Jack. I don't think you've let them."

Jack's eye showed confusion. He looked at Ayame strangely. "You… You really think that Jack is above that of the rats and dogs?"

"That I do. Jack, do you have family? Where are they?" Ayame smiled.

Jack looked at his daggers, trying to think. His brain hadn't even processed the thought of family in so long. "Jack …has …family? I don't recall any family… All I can remember is a woman, a pretty woman, and the most beautiful ever! And she had a stone! A nice shiny stone! Oh, Jack is often relaxed and filled with a warm feeling when he thinks of that woman and that stone…"

"…Was that woman your mother?"

"How do I know? Tis all Jack can remember. That is why Jack must have women and shinies! They make me feel nice all over. A nice warm feeling." Jack replied, his eye closing every time he said the words.

Ayame patted Jack head, avoiding the greasy black tuffs of hair. "I know the feeling Jack. I get that feeling every time I think of my mother's cooking, or my father's stories. I get the feeling when I think of flying great kites on a sunny day near the Lord's pagoda, or chasing the little boys near the shrine." Ayame became unexpectedly homesick. This whole time she had been preaching nothing more than the Western lands and the entire great things they offered, ignoring her family and her heritage. She blinked back tears that were forming in her eyes. She suddenly wanted to see her family.

"Wot be the matter girl… err Ayame? Does Jack displease you?" Jack asked his new friend.

"No, no. I was just thinking …about home." Ayame wiped away her tears and smiled.

"Come on, let's go find the others. They can be your friends to. I think you already know Galuda well enough."

"Hahaha! Galuda is Jack's big friend. Saved him from a cannon ball I did. Haahahaah!" Jack laughed.

** *

Falcon reached Rouge, Galuda, and Gourmand. The three were busy conversing and eating the fine delicacies laid out by the master cook. As they saw the aviator approach, the smiled and gave a salute.

"Hey Falcon. You should try Gourmand's pasties! They'll raise your spirit fifty times fold!" Rouge said.

"They are rather good!" Galuda said as well.

"Thanks, I'll need one." Falcon grabbed a pasty and bit in. "Mmmm, these are good. Hey Jean-Paul, I think you can forget about Zulu now, thanks to these!"

Gourmand bowed. "Thank you sir."

Falcon leaned on the trolley, chewing on his pasty. "Well, I see you guys got the shit beat out of you last night, so we need to think of something that doesn't involve mass suicide."

"I through everything at him. He didn't even budge." Rouge told.

"And Accel shot twelve bullets into him and nothing happened." Galuda recapped.

"Yes, yes, I heard all that. The thing is practically invincible!" Falcon commented.

"Invincible maybe, but whatever you do, you better not blow anything else up! The Governor's representative has threatened to pull the plug on your investigation if you do something like this again!" Julia emerged by herself. She swung her parasol over her shoulder as she smiled to Gourmand and bit a pasty.

"Well that certainly isn't good. Especially when he's totally bonkers." Falcon admitted.

"Jack isn't crazy!" Ayame and Jack strolled up.

"No one said he was, we're talking about Other Jack here." Falcon said.

"Well, we just need Accel here and we can start a plan up." Rouge suggested.

"We don't need that idiot." Falcon said through a mouthful.

"Falcon! Accel bravely fought last night! You need to relax and leave him alone!" Ayame defended her good friend.

                "What we need is someone else who's invincible." Gourmand joked.

                "Say that gain old chap!" Falcon said.

                "I was just kidding master Falcon! No one is invicible!" gourmand replied.

                "No, but there are people who are immortal… I got me an idea!" Falcon was excited.

                "What? What is it?!" everyone asked eagerly.

                "I'll need only two of you to get him, but we need to ge pick up some one!" Falcon grinned.

                "Who?" Galuda asked.

                "The one and only Captain Kraken!" Falcon winked.

                The group gave a confused look to the aviator. Falcon laughed at his idea. "Why didn't I think of it before? Quickly, we must make haste to the Hockenheim! Who's coming, wot wot?"

                "Do you even know where he is?" Rouge asked.

                "That's where you and your crystal ball come in! Quickly, some one volunteer! We don't have all season y'now! December will be here before the weeks through! Hurry your bums up chaps and chapesses!" Falcon laughed.

** 


	13. XIII

It was sometime after noon. The sun was shining brightly, quickly erasing any trace of last night's storm. As Falcon had said before, December would roll in before the week was over. Thus the weather was quickly turning to a very cold chill. There was not one leaf left on the trees. Children played in the great bundles of leaves that were so neatly tucked away at the foot of some great trunk. The chaotic scene of the morning had been replaced with a quieter Saturday morning feel. The windows reflected the glint the sun gave them on to the cold stone streets below. A horse drawn carriage or a horseless carriage would come by every so often, but it was a sleep afternoon for most of Manches.

                But in the city were folks were rallied up for something.

                Falcon leaned against the Hockenheim, the red biplane famous for the many adventures it had undergone. Falcon wrapped himself in a white scarf and placed his aviators goggles over his blue eyes. Protecting his crown was a leather pilot's cap, which was normally stuffed inside the Hockenheim. Rouge, who was adorned in a large coat, blue to the cover and feeling of duckling down, stood near by with Galuda, who wore his traditional attire plus an animal fur thrown around his broad shoulders. Accel was opposite the plane in the field, wearing a steer jacket he had brought from home. At his side was Ayame, dressed in a large green wool sweater, and Jack, who had not bothered to change his looks. All present, save Falcon, were secretly guessing what the plan would be. They all were in an empty field, normally reserved fro growing crops during the warmer months. A small tin building was erected near by Julia's laborers as a make shift hanger. A hastily plowed runway had also been constructed especially for the Hockenheim. There wasn't a tree or large building for at least half a mile.

                "So what are we doing?" Accel asked as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets.

                "We're going to decide what to do Mr. Accel. If you hadn't exploded like a casket of frogs this morning than you would already know!" Falcon answered.

                "We somewhat have a radical idea that's probably even more dangerous than Other Jack…" Ayame answered.

                "And this idea would be?" Accel asked the group.

                "Since Other Jack is almost unbeatable, we're going to go get someone else who's just as resilient and hopefully they'll duel and we'll win." Rouge answered.

                "I trust not this plan. Kraken is not one to be taken lightly." Galuda frowned.

                "Kraken? What the hell is a Kraken?" Accel was stumped.

                Falcon rolled his eyes. "You see, about twenty odd years ago, there was a man in the H.M.S Navy named Ebenezer Kraken. He was obsessed with seventeenth century pirates and galleons. He was a captain of one Her majesties metal ships, Dreadnaughts I think, and had an equally loony crew that all dressed, talked, breathed, and lived a seventeenth century pirate's life. You know, black beard and Long John Silver kind of rubbish. Unfortunately, an ammunition canister exploded in the ship and destroyed the whole bloomin boat. All of Kraken's shipmates were killed, and he himself lost his right hand and half is face! He retired the Navy shortly after that and went to the United States. Became a U.S Cavalry captain, not in the nautical form I tell you, and became engrossed in the Indian Wars. Replaced his right hand with a giant metal clamp or tongs, whatever you want to call the thing. Went nuts he did. Ask ol' Galuda here, he'll tell you. Anyways, about a year ago he quit the U.S Army and somehow got himself an old rickety galleon, the King Octopus, and sailed the briny searching for the power stones. Bunch of us here met up with the old fool, beat the stuffing out of him, and left. But rumor says he got a stone and now is immortal. They sey he rules the North Sea, the Balkan Sea, and the White Sea with an iron fist. Coarse no one actually uses those save the Russians and the Norse, but any ship, even an H.M.S Dreadnaught, falls to the King Octopus easily. And that's Captain Kraken for you." 

"So your plan is to enlist the aid of a loony pirate who owns a couple of icebergs? You're crazier than I thought." Accel commented.

"At least it's a plan Accel." Ayame added.

"And a good one at that! Now, we need to split into teams! Two to be precise. One will go looking for the Looney bastard and the other will make sure things here don't go to hell. Rouge is coming with me in the Hockenheim and we need one more person." Falcon announced.

"Why's Rouge going with you?" Ayame asked.

"Falcon needs my crystal ball's power to locate Captain Kraken. The northern sea's are a very large place." Rouge answered.

"I shall go." Galuda said.

Falcon looked at his large friend. "Are you sure? You and the pirate don't get along so well. We're trying to get him to help us, remember."

"I know this. He is not to be trusted, and you will need all the help you can get." Galuda stated.

Falcon glanced at Rouge, who gave him an approving nod. "Alright Galuda, come on."

Galuda walked over to the Hockenheim's side, inspecting every nut and bolt. Falcon turned to the three remaining people: Ayame, Accel, and Jack.

"Yea, I know what you're going to say. Don't lose Jack." Accel shrugged.

Falcon smiled. "That and we'll be gone for many days, maybe a week or two. So keep on track, keep a look out for Other Jack, and try not to blow anything up. You heard Julia this morn, one more incident like that and the governor will pull the plug!"

Ayame smartly saluted the captain. "Will do sir! Good luck! You'll need it!"

Falcon tightened his scarf. "Oh I will all right. Nothing's jolly more difficult than getting an immortal loony on your spiffin team, wot."

"We'll need to go into town and purchase provisions, Falcon. I think we'll be able to leave by the twilight." Rouge said.

"Right." Falcon replied. He then walked over to Jack, leaned on his haunches, and stared face to face with the knife polisher. "And you. Try to behave will you? I'm asking you not as an authoritive figure, even though I am, but as a friend. Tootles." Falcon winked at Ayame and trotted back to his red bi-plane.

Accel glanced down at Jack, who actually raised a hand to the new team to bid farewell, then to Ayame, who seemed to beam with pride. He kicked a rock with his cowboy boot. "What now?"

Ayame watched the three friends walk off towards tow. "I don't know. We should probably do something to aid our friends, even though they won't be here."

Jack rose off the ground, his odd lanky figure swaying back and forth as he stepped into the field. "We make a trap for Other Jack. Hehehehe."

Accel raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"We do what we did yesterday. Buy items and weave a trap. Can't be that hard." Jack replied.

"You saw what Other Jack was capable of. How in the name of Buddha are we going to build a trap that will hold him?!" Ayame thought.

"…Buddha or Other Jack?" Jack asked.

Accel gave a frustrated sigh. "Other Jack. Need a trap for Other Jack. How to build one, I'm not sure. It's your idea, tell us."

"Hehehehe. We use things that drive him crazy. Drive him insane. That way, we can put our daggers in his back and rip him apart! Hahahahahahahaha!" Jack elaborated.

Accel closed his eyes halfway and glanced at Ayame. "You've got some fixing to do with our new friend here."

Ayame patted Jack's back. Well Jack, I think we can start using euphemisms for killing. Then we can start on our project. What do we need?"

"Hahaha. We needs us a shiny. A power shiny. Hahahaha." Jack answered.

"A power shiny? A power stone?" Accel asked.

Jack dropped on all fours and started scuttling back into town, urging his new friends to follow. Accel and Ayame could only give each other an acknowledging shrug as they darted after the coated one. It wasn't an easy attempt; Jack would swerve this way or that, seeming to be homing in on something. Accel was holding onto his hat with his hand, trying to keep it on his blonde hair. Knowing that they had to keep a good eye on Jack when the reached Manches, Ayame called out.

"Jack! Jack where are we going?!" Ayame yelled.

"Ha ha! We be going to get us a power shiny!" Jack called back.

"Oh sure! There's just going to be one lying around in the dirt! Aren't these things normally inside temples deep in a jungle or mountain?" Accel screeched.

"Nope. Jack knows where one is. It is Jack's power shiny after all! Hehehe!" Jack laughed.

The trio soon ran into the city of Manches, luck have it they wound up running through the dark back alleys. Metal chimneys poured smoke out from the cooking furnaces and stoves into Accel and Ayame's faces. The light was getting darker as they ran, mainly as bridges and piping started to stretch above them. They were on a small deserted stone ramp that dove into some murky abyss below the city. Not many people would be here, save a few homeless folk, and Accel could see why. So many shadows, not enough light.

"What are we doing down here? What is going on Jack?" Ayame asked.

Jack continued scuttling like a maddened lizard. "Careful now. Hehehe. Down here, things can be dangerous!"

Accel was confused. "Hey! Didn't you say that Other Jack ran off with the power stone when he was first created?!"

"Ya, Jack did lose his power shiny to Other Jack. The thief! But when I fought him last night, I saw him drop the shiny, precious, most beautiful shiny into a grate." Jack answered.

"Of course! Last night when Jack attacked Other Jack trying to save Rouge, he must have hit him a good one and knocked the stone out of his pocket! It then fell into a grate and into the sewers!" Ayame repeated.

"Sewers? That's not where we're going is it? I can't stand sewers!" Accel said as he tore a sheet hanging from a laundry line from his face.

"They don't have sewers in America?" Ayame asked.

"In the East they do, but not out in the west. The ground is harder than, well, rock! I wasn't aware they're were sewers in Jap-Nippon." Accel explained.

"They don't. But the sewers of Europe are amazing!" Ayame explained.

"Yea, if you like deep slimy labyrinths and underground rivers!" Accel stated.

The declining ramp with spots of light amidst piping, bridges, and laundry lines, turned into a declining stone hallway. Naked light bulbs swung from the ceiling, the long snaking wire slithering down the passage via the ceiling. The entrance was now a door of sheer light, a white holy canvas. The stone tunnel was dark, lit with an orange hue. Still, the entrance grew smaller and smaller as the three descended at an awesome rate through the dark tunnel. Pretty soon metal grating lined the walls and floors, filled with small holes. Rats lurked about in every sense. 

The trio came upon a heading with three separate branches. Above the thing metal doorframe were signs. All of them in French. Jack stopped, sending Accel colliding into Ayame. The two laughed at their predicament.

"What did you stop for Jack?" Ayame asked as she picked herself up.

Jack stood up, swaying to an imaginary breeze. "Jack does not know which way to go. I afeared we're stumped."

Accel raised the brim of is hat as he looked at the copper embedded letters in the copper plate. "So just read the doors. Your French, ain't you?"

Jack shook his head. "I never learned to read."

"Well I certainly do not know any French." Ayame considered.

"So …what do we do?" Accel asked, looking down all three passageways. All were dark and gloomy.

"I can tells ye what to do! Hehehe!" A shrill voice mocked.

The trio turned around to see a small gang of ragged Frenchmen. There were three of them to be exact. A small, thin man dressed in a red tight fitting shirt with white horizontal lines and black pants was in the lead. Behind him was a tall, wide man of considerable girth. He was completely bald and clad in a half in half out dirty button up shirt and dark trousers. The third was an average man in build with a broken chimney cap and a dirty overcoat. All three of them were snickering evilly.

"If it's a fight you want, you've come to the wrong place." Accel narrowed his blue eyes.

"Oh! Dija hear da American boys? 'E said he ddin't want te fight. Ehehehehe!" The short red shirted man laughed.

"Dats a gud un' Pier! Let's fight' em anyways! We can take all those pretty coats they's got!" The fat one chuckled.

"And we can finally be rid of that Slayer! Where you going to go now that your confronted by actual men and not ladies, Hmmm?" The chimney cap taunted.

Jack was growling like a dog. He started to spin the daggers in his hands like wheels on a bike. "Oh you want to fight huh? Hehehehehehehehehe! You'll see that Jack has nothing to hide from strong men like you! Hahahahahahaha!

Jack tossed the blade in his hand, catching the tip with his fingers and about to throw when Ayame slapped his wrists. "Jack! No killing!"

"Yea, but we can knock them out of their senses! Let's dance!" Accel shouted.

Accel waited for the little man to lunge forward. The man pulled out a chain and started to spin it wildly. Accel smiled and dropped to the floor, shooting his legs out like twin pistons and knocking the red shirt flat.

Ayame flipped into the air, sailing over the enemy, and landing behind the chimney capped man. Before the ruffian could turn to see his adversary, Ayame landed a quick chop with the side of her hand against his neck. The chimney cap staggered forward, rubbing his neck and cursing in pain.

The gluttonous man crashed towards Jack like a bull in the ring. Jack's knives were ready, but what Ayame said entered his mind. Tossing the blades into the air, jack neatly hopped over the rampaging giant and landed on top of his shoulders, catching the blades in air. Two quick strikes with the hard metal handles to the bald man's crown sent him crashing into the wired floor.

Accel rose quickly, quickly dodging the falling giant swinging with his right fit into the small man's face. The red shirt dropped his chain in agony, screaming bloody murder. Accel through his left fist in as well, creating a stinging one-two sensation.

Ayame's ninja training was paying off. As graceful as any swan, Ayame flew through the air to land right before the chimney cap's very eyes. With a mighty spinning kick, she sent the dirty-coated man sprawling through the air just to land on the fat one's belly.

The red shirted man dived for the chain, but was too late. Accel sent him tumbling away with a strong kick. The Frenchman could feel the cowboy boot dig into his ribs. With a final cry, the Frenchman jostled towards his gang.

"Ungh… come on you lot, lets get out of here!" The red shirted man yelped.

In a matter of mere seconds the three men were nowhere to be seen. The dark empty hallway was left alone to the three heroes.

"After Other Jack it feels good to be able to kick someone's ass." Accel grinned.

"It sure does!" Ayame replied.

Jack crawled over to the three doors. The bandaged one was trying to sniff the air, searching for something, anything of use.

"But we're still stuck." Ayame complained.

Jack began to laugh.

** *


	14. XIV

The Ocean was never bluer than it was on the fateful day this was. The hollowed lands of France disappeared from view several days ago as the red whirlwind Hockenheim soared into the blue yonder. Seagulls laughed merrily as the Hockenheim flew by, driving into cloudbanks and trailing a stream of white fluffy atmosphere. Just for sport, the little red bi-plane took off into a barrel roll and summersaults. Oh how Falcon laughed! To see that much jollity in one would put a bounce in your step and a smile on your face! Despite Falcons most pleased humors, Galuda and Rouge were not feeling the same way. In fact Galuda had turned to a sickly shade of color greener than a boiled frog with parsley, as one would say. Falcon risked a glance behind him to see his comrades.

                "How are we faring back there?" falcon chuckled.

                Rouge frowned. "If you want to find the Captain, you'd best sop all of these maneuvers. I'm terrified out of my wits and my stomach may leap out any second! And you don't even want to know how Galuda's putting up!"

                Falcon grinned. "Once you get your air legs… wait, no. Once you get your plane legs –that's not it either. Oh well, however the saying goes, you'll get used to flying as high in the sky as any guillemot, albatross, puffin, or any other North Atlantic sea bird!"

                Rouge looked across her crystalline sphere once more, closing her eyes and trying to find the exact point of where the King Octopus may be. After a couple of moments, she had homed in on her target.

                "The King Octopus isn't too much farther north, about a couple of miles or so. We should spot her before the next hour." Rouge instructed the pilot.

                "Great! We're still on the right track! We'll be in and out before the weeks end! Hopefully we'll be able to steer clear of any Northern winter gales!" Falcon announced happily.

                "I have a question Falcon. Just how much fuel do we have?" Galuda asked from the very back.

                "Good question my friend! We'll we poured about a good four or five days of fuel in her when we left Dieppe, and we've traveled a… good… four days… oh shit." Falcon moaned.

                At that moment, a disgusting and horrid noise disrupted from the propeller ahead. Put put put put! Small clouds of black smoke began to pour from the propeller. The Hockenheim jutted over to one side in several quick movements. Slowly she began to descend.

                Falcon had both hands on the aerial control stick, trying to keep her from falling nose first into the unbearably cold seas below. Gritting his teeth, he was using al of his impressive strength to keep her aloft.

                "You just had to say something didn't ya?!" Falcon yelled back to Galuda.

                "What do we do?! I don't see any land what-so-ever!" Rouge panicked.

                "Look for birds! There's always land by if you see a flock or so!" Falcon advised.

                Galuda shaded his brow with one hand and held onto the violently shaking plane with the other. "There! I see a bird!"

                "Which direction?!" Falcon shouted.

                "West!" Galuda responded.

                Falcon chanced a look-see in the direction. "Any bird but that one! That's an Arctic Tern, they practically live on the ocean!"

                Rouge sighted around, using her crystal ball for worldly seeing. "I see some cormorants north east! Can we make it there?!"

                Falcon glanced in the direction, which Rouge spotted out. "I see them! We can make it if God really cares for us! It's going to be one ballyspiffin crash though! Hold on!"

                The little red plane began to roll in consecutive turns. The flock of black sea birds couldn't be mistaken. An island appeared before them. It was to no surprise to Falcon, the Northern Seas were dotted with islands all over. The clouds shot by at amazing speeds. The island was growing larger and larger by the second.

                The island was a small one, as I said before, covered in rolling hills. Not many trees lined its surface, mostly just acres of grass. A flock of sheep grazed in the crown of one such hill. A lanky pale shepherd stood watch, sleepily checking the sheep's count. But now the monstrous roar of the Hockenheim interrupted his drowsiness. He glanced up, his red eyebrows rising in disbelief. The sheep noticed as well and each saw the fiery plane balancing itself out. However, the plane was rocketing right for them! The sheep launched a fracas of baas as they began stampeding down the hill's slope. The man just watched as the Hockenheim touched the fertile soil, sending it flying into the air in showers of mud and dirt. The plane became a plow as it ran through the pasture, leaving a great trail of overturned grass. The propellers had slowed, and the plane halted. The whirling blades were just an inch from the shepherds face.

                Falcon fell over the side of the plane, landing on the grass below. He lied on the grass, heaving with breath. Rouge and Galuda did the same.

                "Well, we're still alive." Rouge smiled.

                "Yea, but my precious little baby's been hurt." Falcon sighed.

                "We can fix that. We just need to find a town. Did any one see a town from above?" Galuda asked.

                "Sorry Galuda, I was too busy screaming for my life as we plummeted to the earth to notice anything." Rouge answered.

                "C-can I help you?" The shepherd asked as he recovered from his shock.

                Falcon picked him self off the soil. "I'm hoping you can. By your accent, I'm guessing we're somewhere off Norge?"

                "Aye, that is correct. You're in Hordaland. Well, that's the province anyway. The closest town is Fedje." The shepherd instructed.

                "Good, there's a town." Galuda stated.

                "Norge? Is this Norway?" Rouge asked.

                "Norge is what the Norwegians call it. Yea, this is Norway, but we're on an island." Falcon answered.

                "It's not very far to Fedje. It'll be a day's walk. However, there's something I must warn you about. A ghastly pirate is lurking about in Fedje's port. He practically has it under siege. They've made poor Fedje their new base." The Shepherd told.

                Falcon raised an eyebrow. "Really? I guess Skullhaven was too far away for the blighters. That's just made our job all the easier!"

                "My ball indicated they were at sea. They were probably returning from plundering and looting!" Rouge said happily.

                "Then how about we meet Kraken and his crew at the town!" Galuda said.

                "Yes, but priority one is getting the Hockenheim repaired." Falcon turned to the shepherd. "Say ol' chap, have any oxen or horses around?"

                "I have two seers beast that could pull your plane for you, as long as you return them happy and healthy." The shepherd offered.

                "Well you can't have something for nothing I suppose. We'll return them to you at once!" falcon smiled.

                He turned to his two fellow crewmen. "Come on chaps! We've got a plane to hitch to some cows, wot wot!"

** *

                The day had been clouded over by a thin sheet of gray clouds. The sea's sparkled no more. Short, choppy waves rode the sea, as they liked. And the great galleon King Octopus was returning from the day's events. She had been repaired in the wave of her success, no more holes on her sides, not a single torn sail, and no more leaky lifeboats.

                The officer's deck was a little cozy room. A large table was the centerpiece, surrounded by several ornate chairs. A lantern hung from the ceiling, giving an orange hue to it. Maps of all kinds lined the walls. And sitting in the ornate chairs were several of the King Octopus' crewmen and her one and only captain, Captain Ebenezer Kraken. On the table were loads and loads of booty, pirate talk for stolen goods. Gold, silver, bronze and amber covered the table in a heaped mess. Each member was enjoying a meal of cooked cod and a beaker of grog.

                Kraken took a deep gulp of his grog, placed the beaker on the table and wiped his face. His physical portrayal as somewhat different from Falcon's account. He had a full face, though his nose was incredibly bulbous, and he had both hands. His teeth were still in a crazy setting, and his hair was as silver and unkempt as before. He laughed. "Harhar Look at all the booty we dragged in today, yarr. 'Tis the finest loot we've gained this month!"

                The crewman all laughed. Kraken grinned. "Ah, but we have to give thanks to the power stone that gave us all the ability to do all of this, yarr. If it 'tweren't for it, we would have, dare I say it, have gone to Davy Jones' Locker for good, yarr!"

                The crewman all thanked the precious stone and then went back to work dining or gazing upon the days work. A pirate crewman, decked in a red and white striped shirt, bandana wrapped around his head, and poor rags for pants, swigged a beaker of grog and started talking to his captain. "You certainly know what your doing Captain! We have the entire northern seas under our thumb!"

                "Harhar! Of coarse do, King, my shipmate! Only the finest of all seamen get this far! Yarr!" Kraken laughed. He was in high spirits. His fortune had been good ever since he clasped hands on the powerful gem. He grinned, showing all of his horrid teeth.

                "Uh, Capn'." Came a voice.

                Kraken frowned and looked down the table. A thin man with spectacles was raising his hand next to a much larger man who was doing the same. "Yarr, what is it, Octo, Puss?"

                The thin man, Octo, toyed with his beaker as he spoke. "Me and Puss were just thinking here, maybe we should try going south."

                "South." Puss repeated.

                "Arr! What's wrong here mates?! The sailin's good and the booty plenty! We have all the folks under our thumbs! Yarr!" Kraken slammed his beaker on the table, spilling grog everywhere.

                Octo was shaking so badly, his teeth were ratteling. "Uh, you see Captain, uh, the sailin's not so great. We have a storm every other day!"

                "Every other day." Puss repeated.

                "Yea, and the booty's fine. But, uh, couldn't we get even better booty by heading to Denmark or Scotland?" Octo continued.

                "Denmark or Scotland." Puss repeated.

                "And we're freezing our butts off! It can't be more than thirty-eight degrees out! If we head south, there's more plunder, better sails, and warmer weather!" Octo finished.

                "I hear Spain's nice this time of year." Puss added.

                This seemed to arouse the crewmen. Each and everyone was shouting out to head south and head for better plunder, weather, and waves. Kraken narrowed his brow in visible anger. Amidst the shouts and chaos, Ebenezer yelled:

                "Quiet! Arhar! So ye wants better waves do ye? Ye wants better plunder huh? And ye wants warmer weather Oi'se takes it? Aharharhar! I'll give ye all of those! But first we must head to base, likes I says afore! Yarr."

                The crewmen were so awash with jollity that they began dancing! Smiling faces and dancing feet knocked about on deck. Kraken was pleased with himself. He headed for the two trouble makers Octo and Puss. Placing an arm about both of their shoulders, which was hard due to the three's size differences, the Captain revealed his teeth.

                "Har har. So you two be ideas men? Have you plenty of those rattelin around in yer heads now do ye? Yarr." The Captain asked.

                "Well, to be frank sir, I be the smarter of the two of us. I'm the brains of the outfit." Octo answered.

                "He be the brains of the outfit." Puss stated.

                "Is that so? Well then, you can be me advisor from now on, and Puss here can be yer bodyguard! So here's the first plan for ye. When we be headin south, who do we pick a fight wit? Amember, we be only one ships crew, and you want to fight armed modernized nations! I'll let you be the brains on that one, yarr." Captain Kraken explained.

                Octo gulped. "Heheh, no problem Captain! Gimme some time to think about it, heh heh."

                "Think about it." Puss repeated.

                "Good, good. We dock first thing tomorrow! You can think about it then, yarr!" Captain Kraken left the two and went out on deck.

** *

                Several days earlier, Accel, Ayame, and Jack were stuck beneath the city of Manches. In the chamber of three doors, Jack laughed.

                "What's so funny Jack?" Ayame asked.

                "Jack has found the way! Come! Come! I take you!" Jack laughed.

                Following his queue, the Japanese and the American followed through the door on the far right. Things were becoming darker and the copper mesh along the walls was growing warm.

                "How do you know the stones down here Jack?" Accel asked.

                "'Tis simple! Follow the smell! Hehehe" Jack instructed.

                Ayame's face turned to one of confusion. "Smell? Stones don't have a smell, do they?"

                "Stones have a smell! Each shiny has a distinct odor! The power shiny smells delicious!" Jack said.

                "Well I'm keeping my nose shut! We are going into the sewers after all!" Accel advised. Suddenly Accel felt a shock run through his foot. He leaped up in the air shouting all sorts of obscenities.

                "What is it Accel?!" Ayame asked the man.

                Jack felt it too, however it ran through his daggers into his arms. He instantly leaped onto his feet, cringing.

                "My spurs just electrocuted me!" Accel picked the spurs off his boots and shoved them into his pockets.

                "Aye, my daggers did the same!" Jack nodded.

                "That's funny, I don't feel anything." Ayame tapped her wooden sandals against the wired floor.

                Accel glanced at the floor. "Must be some kind of electricity running through here…"

                Jack's one eye followed the walls and the roof, noting that copper ran everywhere. Ayame sighed.

                "Do you think the voltage will get worse?" Ayame asked her friends.

                "Only one way to find out! The stone is through here!" Jack stepped forward.

                "I am seriously not feeling good about this…" Accel moaned.

                Ayame suddenly felt lucky to have the sandals. Yet another Japanese item brought to good use. "If things do get worse, we can always get my Granny to make wooden sandals for you two!"

** *


	15. XV

As luck would have it, the surges of electricity running through the copper plated tunnel never exceeded the point of the occasional hurtful shock. Thus Jack, forced to walk on his legs such as a biped would, and Accel were greatly relieved. The lanterns charged with the electricity arching through the dark musty air through them created some visibility. However, the situation did seem far from the lanterns light, and more into the darkness.

                Ayame checked behind her. She was the last in the three-person file line. On their way of several hours, they had passed many hallways melding into this main branch. The lanterns all swung with an imaginary breeze. The air did not stir down here.

                "Brrrrr. Accel, are you getting the same feeling as I am?" Ayame asked her loving friend.

                "That feeling wouldn't be your toes going numb from all the electricity running through them would it?" Accel replied.

                "No. It-s… It-s nothing." Ayame thought better of her ideas.

                "Damn Jack. We've been walking for hours. When do we come across that power stone?" Accel asked as he placed his hands behind his neck.

                "Jack only follows the scent of the precious shiny! Hehehehe, what a smell. What a smell." Jack laughed as he followed his masked nose into the phantasmal abyss.

                "I still think it's strange how you can smell a stone, power stone or not. I've only met one other man who can do that. I think his name was Gunrock or something, he lived in a mine in Dawnbolta." Ayame pondered in audio.

                "Dawnbolta, you mean in Spanish Cuba? My, Ayame, you've been everywhere!" Accel was impressed.

                "I am comfortable in saying that I've visited the four corners of the Earth! Though it wasn't easy doing it." Ayame boasted.

                "Go ahead. Tell the story! It's not like we're doing anything right now…" Accel urged.

                "Ha! You mean YOU'RE not doing anything important." Jack snorted.

                "Well, alright. It started over a year ago…"

** *

                The sky was present. It was a summer sky, filled with white clouds and blue skies. And standing in the way of the warm summer air was an enormous pagoda. Red in color with dark roofing tiles, the pagoda arched out in every direction it could muster to do so. This was the realm of the Daimyo Takarada, lord of this province. The lord of the area was once a strong, large warrior built to withhold any battle, but now he had undergone a change that turned him in to a small, fat, bald man. However, he was still lord and the thousands of peasants at his disposal instantly granted any of his wishes.

                It was on this fortunate day that the lord had summoned the Uematsu clan to his household. The Uematsu clan was famous for it's ninja stealth and grace. Any deed, no matter how dark and savage, would be done by a Uematsu. Before the daimyo bowed Mr. Uematsu whom was a tall man with thick dark hair, and Mrs. Uematsu who herself was a fair lady of the traditional Japanese way, white as milk with her dark hair in a bun. There was also Granny Uematsu, who was still short and stout, and finally Ayame Uematsu. As I said before, all of these ninjas bowed before their lord when he walked upon his porch steps.

                "Ah the Uematsu's, how are you doing these days? I hope you've been keeping up with your work, yes?" Lord Takarada asked.

                Mr. Uematsu didn't raise his head. "Yes, my lord. We have been practicing every day."

                "Ah good, good. I have a mission for you. Have you ever heard of the power stone?" The Daimyo questioned.

                "Yes sir. It is a stone that grants wishes to any who behold it, is it not?" Mrs. Uematsu answered.

                "Ah, very good, very good. Your mission is simple so you shouldn't be able to screw it up, even though your history is flawless. Find a power stone and bring it back to me. If you do, you shall be handsomely rewarded. If you do not…" Here Lord Takarada put a finger to his throat and slowly slid across, making a noise that sounded like the slicing of an apple.

                "I understand my liege. We shall take our leave now." Mr. Uematsu exclaimed.

                With that, the ninja family exited the royal grounds.

** *

                It wasn't long before the family reached a cherry orchard. Deprived of any sentient life forms, the family decided here was the best place tom start formulating their plan.

                "Where are we going to get a power stone?" Mrs. Uematsu was puzzled.

                "From the ground like all other rocks! You young people have absolutely no brains." Granny scoffed.

                "I don't think so. Some sailors in town were talking about it! They said that there was a man carrying it, a western man with only half of a face!" Ayame shouted.

                "Shhhh!" The three elders tried to subdue the child.

                "Sorry." Ayame whispered.

                "Ayame, what were you doing around sailors? I've told you before not to mess with those kind of people! They're not from here." Mrs. Uematsu wagged a finger in front of her daughters' nose.

                "She was probably trying to pry more stories out of them like she always does. Harrumph." Granny said with disgust.

                "Ayame Uematsu… I feel it would be best if you boarded a ship and searched for the stone! Of all of us, you seem to be able to adapt to western ways the best, and you know more about this half faced man than we do." Mr. Uematsu dug into his pouch and brought forth several coins. "Here, buy a ticket. This is only enough for that. You will be on your own for the rest of the journey."

                The other two were stunned.

                "F-father…" Ayame stumbled on her words.

                "Go now. I have spoken." Mr. Uematsu finished.

                Ayame glanced at her family. Taking a firm grip on her new money, she dashed off into the orchard, not to be seen for another year…

                ** *

                The ship was a steam ship, equipped with enormous paddles designed to take her long distances. To many of the people on board it was nothing new, but to Ayame it was a spectacle of man's triumphant skill in engineering. It was stuffed to the gills with people, all wanting to head somewhere new. The ship was charted to sail into San Francisco, a large port in the western United States of America, the finest country in the world. The sailors before had told her that the half faced man had sailed from America. Her guess was that he had returned there.

                Ayame leaned against the red salt soaked rail, overlooking the waves of the endless ocean before her. The ocean was so large, so enormous that anything else seemed dwarfed by it. Islands, her country, the ship, and herself. How different it must be to live in a land that isn't surrounded by water that is just as big as the ocean, and is boundless in land as the sea is by water. As she enjoyed her thoughts of discovery, a large suitcase came flying at her.

                BONK! It smacked right into the back of her head, momentarily stunning her. She got up, rubbing the back of her head, instantly barking towards the culprit. "HEY! Who do you think you are, throwing luggage like that?! There isn't any room on this boat to stand! Never the less fight!"

                The culprit was a young Asian man, more like a boy. He was clad in a tight white shirt, embroidered with a Chinese dragon. He also had loose baggy brown pants and dark shoes, which matched his braided dark hair. The crowd of older, tough looking Chinese men all laughed.

                "Are you going to take that from a little girl Wang Tang? Hahahahahaha!"

                "Some Agile Dragon, can't even throw a suitcase to it's owner! Hehehehhehehe!"

                "Look at Mr. Kung Fu, being scolded by a tiny girl! Bwahahahahahaha!"

                Despite all of the laughing and mockery, Wang Tang continued to smile. Ayame grew even more angry.

                "I may be tiny, but I could still beat you down! Especially you!" Ayame pointed to the suitcase thrower.

                "No need for that little girl. I apologize. I'm sorry for accidentally hitting you. You see, now we don't have to fight!" Wang Tang waved his hand.

                "Look at him! He's even refusing to fight the girl! What a fool! Mwahahahaha!" The crowed sneered.

                "It's too late for that! You threw it, now you go to pay!" Ayame jumped into her stance.

                "I said before I don't want to fight! I might hurt you!" Wang Tang pleaded.

                "Enough!" Ayame threw her first kick, aiming it just high enough to send Wang Tang flying backwards into the ring of spectators. This immediately brought a big cheer and a bundle of laughs.

                Wang Tang got up and wiped blood from his lip. "Good kick. I can see that you know how to fight, but you still have a lot to learn!"

                "Stop smiling and fight!" Ayame roared, sending a couple of ninja chops his way. However he grabbed every one.

                "My master told me never to fight if I didn't have to. So let's just forget all of this and start anew." Wang Tang urged.

 "Never!" Ayame flipped over the Chinese fighter and sent him sprawling to the floor with a well-aimed kick.

                "Hohahaha! Wang Tang is getting beat up by a girl!"

                "I wouldn't want to step in their with her!"

                Wang Tang stepped up again. "I will not fight. I have to save my strength for the man with only half a face."

                Ayame stopped and raised an eyebrow. "What do you want with the half faced man?"

                Wang Tang rubbed the back of his neck. "My master has sent me on a quest to gather the power stones and from what I hear, the half faced man has them! But what do you want with them?"

                Ayame's impression of the rude boy suddenly changed. He was certainly optimistic, polite, and friendly. She grabbed his arm. "How 'bout we talk of this away from this crowd?"

                Wang Tang looked around. "Oh! Top secret eh? I got you!"

                ** *

                Several days had passed since then and the two became good friends. They had laughed together ever since they met, and now stood on the threshold of a new land. For before them was Angel Island, the gate to America. As the ship docked, the thousands on board cheered. Though there was no Statue of Liberty as Ayame had originally hoped for, everyone on board could make out the enormous visage of the in construction Golden Gate Bridge. Such a thing no one had ever beheld before. Through the thick morning fog, it seemed to be a bridge in the sky, a pathway to heaven. Ayame's eyes were full of wonder and awe. This was the first piece of amazement she had seen in the west. Finally, the land of the setting sun…

                "So Ayame, which way are you heading?" Wang Tang asked her.

                "I don't know… right now, I just want to see that bridge…" Ayame whispered.

                California was a land of extremes. Rolling fertile hills filled with tenants gathering juicy grapes for Californian wine, deep woods filled with the largest trees in the world, jagged sea cliffs, freezing with spray, mountain peaks that dwarfed any in Nippon, and long expanses of sweltering desert heat. From San Francisco the two decided to head south, for the closest sea was the Sea of Mexico, a giant inland sea formed by the United State's southern boundary with Florida connecting to a small colony of Spain's called Cuba. From Cuba the land bridge headed west, running through countries such as Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and finally connecting to the Yucatan in Mexico.  It was well known that the Spanish had dug several canals in Cuba to connect the Atlantic with the Sea of Mexico. The half faced man supposedly would be there, after trekking across the Great Plains from an attack that several pioneers described. The road was tough and expensive, so Ayame and Wang Tang survived by posing as a traveling circus act. Nevada and New Mexico proved harsh and lonely, mostly desert with tuffs of grassland and an occasional town. Colorado was much different, cold and yet lush. High in the mountains, it reminded Wand Tang of his own home in China. Pine and other coniferous trees covered the mountainsides. And finally they set foot through the western extremes of Texas, dried earth and shifting sands. Great scrub deserts and small wooden towns. Making it to Brownsville on the coast was a long trip, and from there they sailed to the town of Dawnbolta in Spanish Cuba.

                Spanish Cuba resembled nothing that Ayame had ever seen before. It was bright and sunny, and filled with a sense of liveliness. Dawnbolta was covered in machinery. It was a festive drilling town, thriving off the copper they dug up and sent away. Need less to say, Ayame and Wang Tang were like fish out of water. Amid the palm trees and Mexican styled buildings, a massive iron tower stood out in the center of town. That was the drilling center, a giant drill that dived into the earth below. That, they guess, would be where the half faced man would be.

                Wang Tang and Ayame dashed across the massive steps that led to the building. The shade of the fronds brought pleasure in the hot sun. A line of miners waited on the stairs to get in. The two tiny figures ran up, at least a quarter mile of stair high up the rocky hill, only to wait in line. Looking down one could see the whole town and the sea below. But that didn't bring peace to Ayame's hasty mind.

                "Excuse me." She tapped the giant Cuban in front of her. "We're looking for somebody and are in a hurry. Could you let us pass?"

                The giant turned around. His muscles stood out everywhere. He had on a way too tiny orange poncho and great big blue pants. Around his head was a blue bandana. His face was very small compared to his body, made through the tiny pencil thin moustache he adorned. "Hahaha! Are you mad little girl? You wait in line to go to work!"

                "We were just wondering if we could just scoot inside. We don't work here." Wang Tang expressed.

                "Hahaha! What you think, tiny man? You think I, the almighty Gunrock, the best miner in all of Dawnbolta, would let two tiny people in to steal my power stone? Ha! I think not!" The giant bellowed.

                The two looked at each other. "Power stone?"

                "Aye, Power stone! The gem that can make your wish come true! And it's mine!" Gunrock roared.

                "Sir, is the half faced man in there?!" Wang Tang asked.

                "Hohoho! They are plenty of ugly people in there. However, you still hafta wait, tiny people!" Gunrock explained.

                "Move it buster! We have to get through! We have been ordered by our lords to get those stones!" Ayame shouted.

                Gunrock bent down and picked each one of the Asians up, each in one hand. He laughed. "You are a bit bossy for someone your size. You're not going anywhere!"

                "Hey could you let us down!" Wang Tang asked.

                "If you don't we'll have to beat you down!" Ayame challenged.

                "Haha! You wish to challenge me! I've bested every man in the Sea of Mexico and the Carribean! I would squash you like little bugs!" Gunrock boasted.

                Ayame managed to squirm out of the giant's grip and fall to the stone stair way. She got into her fighting stance.

** *

                "Shhh! We are close!" Jack interrupted Ayame's story.

                "It was just getting good." Accel complained.

                Indeed a strange light was showing up ahead in the dark copper tunnel…

** *


	16. XVI

                Fedje was a small town, built with several small houses and businesses. Small brightly colored houses lined the dusty roads, which were few. It was a quite town with very little action. The small fishing vessels and the ferryboats for the mainland sailed in and out of the docks. If Fedje had a lot of one thing, it was boats. Fedje's pride was not its boats, but a recently built lighthouse, the Hellisøy lighthouse. The enormous iron tower rested on an island a dozen meters to the west. The base was completely surrounded in thousands of bricks, as the top was pitch-black iron. A marvel of engineering, for it was built upon flooded soil, not rock. But from the top of the tallest structure in Fedje waved a black flag: The Jolly Roger!

                Seagulls floated in the air on their silvery wings, taking a glimpse at the scene below. Two large oxen were hauling the wreckage of the Hockenheim into town. Surrounding the bulls were the three friends Falcon, Rouge, and Galuda. Galuda was maintaining the animals, as it was his talent. Rouge and Falcon were conversing about their plan.

                "Hmmm, nobody seems out today…" Falcon said.

                "Yea, it's like a ghost town." Rouge added.

                "We can blame ol' Captain Kraken for that. Where's an airplane mechanic when you need one?" Falcon asked himself.

                "Galuda, put the ox's to a halt, I think we found something!" Rouge shouted.

                "Right." Galuda called. His wrists gestured the reigns in a way that slowed the beasts to a stop. He quickly leaped from the Hockenheim's injured wing and walked towards the other two, protecting his eyes from the setting sun with a hand.

                "What's so special Rouge? Is it a machine shop?" Falcon asked eagerly.

                "Yes, what is so special?" Galuda had to ask.

                Rouge smiled. "Look for yourself." She pointed to the earth below her feet. On the ground wwere many Noks, Norse currency.

                "Well what do you know? Blinkin' money! 'Suppose Kraken's trasure trove is around here then!" Falcon grinned.

                "Exactly! And we need money to pay for the Hockenheim's repairs don't we? Come on! It's a treasure hunt!" Rouge pulled on Falcons arm, tugging him down the gravel street. Galuda made chase.

                "Say, there's a whole flippin trail of Noks! This'll be easier than a barrel roll after tea!" Falcon said.

                "Easier than shooting deer in winter time!" Galuda said.

                "Or card tricks! Come on it leads into this barn!" Rouge brought herself to a finish at the Barns large doors.

                Falcon tapped on the door. "How many guards you think are in there?"

                Galuda put his ear to the door and shut his eyes. It was only a couple seconds until he retracted. "Three."

                "Three? We can take three! Come on then, hup two heave ho! Push!" Falcon put his weight on the barn door. It began to open…

** *

                The brilliant colors of the evening sky reflected off the ocean below. The town of Fedje was in sight and the lighthouse on. Great beams of light circled around in loops, brining in ships in the twilight. But the only ship coming to Fedje this night was the ghastly King Octopus.

                Kraken stood by the helmsman, watching the town come into view. He was content with the day, despite the mutinous behavior before. Perhaps heading south was the best thing for him and his crew. He didn't want to fight his beloved crew, they were family to him, and after all he risked life and limb to bring them back.

                "Harhar, We have quite the booty to pull in today, eh King? Yarr." Kraken nodded to his helmsman.

                "Aye Cap'n. Quite the haul indeed sir! It'll take a day and a half to pull her in, Haha, a day heehe." King laughed.

                "Arr, but we have plenty a folk to do that, the people of Fedje can do it! And afterwards, they can cook us a big old dinner! Yarr." Kraken suggested.

                "Captain, docks ahead. We slow?" King asked.

                "Of coarse we slow, ya fool. Bring her to a stop get the gangplank ready! The boys are back! Yarr!"  Kraken shouted out orders.

                From the corner of his right eye, Ebenezer was able to make out Octo and Puss hastily retreating to the cabin. Without moving a finger, the Captain spoke. "Well if it 'taint Mr. Octo and Mr. Puss! Come to my side boys! Come to my side. Yarr."

                Octo swallowed. He raised his wired spectacles nervously, sliding to the captains blue coated side carefully. "Hey Cap'n! 'Ow you doin? I'm doing fine! Never better! Heh heh heh, You know that's kind of funny because-"

                "Did you find a place to sail to Mr. Octo? Yarr." Kraken interrupted.

                "Oh Captain! This is a very complicated manner of strategy and science! It will take time and I really am working hard, aint I Puss?" Octo nervously answered.

                "Working hard." Puss repeated.

                "Good. I am glad to see my crew being efficient, ahar! However we need to sail before the storms start setting in, so I'm giving you twenty-four hours to find a nice warm place to plunder and loot! Got me? Yarr?" Kraken blinked.

                "Y-yes sir! I got you loud and clear! Crystal clear! Water clear! If the ocean were so clear I could see the locker of Davy Jones! Heheh, how clear is Puss?"

                "Very clear Octo."

                "Then we're clear. You're dismissed. Now start haulin me booty to shore or it will be your booty! Arharharharhar! Yarr!"

** *

                The inside of the barn was much like the inside of any barn. Dark, for lack of any light, and stuffy. In this barn there wasn't an animal to be seen. But in the place of livestock were mounds of gold! Let me tell you that even the richest palaces seemed to be a home to a popper compared to the riches bestowed upon this barn! Gems of every kind and shape, polished or rough, laid about in the most fitting of manner. The light from the creaking barn door reflected on every gold coin, creating a vibrant lighthouse. The perfect burglar alarm.

                "YAAAAAAAAWWNN… 'Ey Cap'n, izzat you?" A voice came from a wooden balcony.

                Rouge stopped halfway in the door. The light from the door reflecting on the door must have awoken the guard! She paused thinking.

                "Arr of coarse it is me! Yohoho and a bottle of rum! Shiver me timbers! Arg!" Falcon tried his best to imitate the captain.

                "'Ey capn' wots wrong wit yer voice? Sounds more livly and energetic, like you've lost fifteen years!" the voice asked.

                "Arr… uh…. it be the blackberry pie I had! Arg! That stuff will put a beard on your chin and a bounce in yer step! Arg!" Falcon shouted.

                "Blackberry pie Cap'n? Can we 'ave some?"

                "Of coarse me laddie buck! Jus' come down and get it, one at a time! Trust me it be worth yer time, arg!"

                Rouge glanced at Falcon with a confused and stern look. "What do you think your doing sending them down here?"

"Relax." Falcon whispered. "One at a time right? There are three of us, mate!"

"That's a good plan Falcon." Galuda said.

"Of coarse it is, I came up with it!" Falcon laughed.

The wooden stairs creaked and moaned as feet walked upon them. The stairs curved around a large pole from the balcony, hiding the front gate from the pirate's eyes. 

"I'm ready fer dat pie Cap'n! Wait a second! You're not the Cap'n!" The pirate was astonished.

"No kidding!" Rouge smiled as she kicked the pirate square in the jaw. The pirate was out cold after one blow.

"Hey I thought these guys were supposed to be immortal." Falcon rubbed his head.

"Mayhap he was hired help. Shhh! Someone's coming!" Galuda warned.

The barn doors swung open in a loud crash as the real Captain Kraken and his men stood at the entrance. The men were all lifting heavy crates and barrels, all stuffed with gold. Kraken took a step backwards as he noticed his guard out cold on the ground and three intruders standing near by. Falcon, Rouge, and Galuda had the look of a rat trapped in a corner. Kraken's look of surprise came to a look of anger.

"Arg! You be a dead man walking for intruding into me treasure cove! Yarr!" Kraken sneered.

"Now hold on a tick! We come to-" Falcon was interrupted.

"Arr I don't care for yer excuses! Yer in me treasure cove and dats enough fer me and me crew! Capture 'em! Yarr!" Kraken shouted.

"Let's make a run for it!" Rouge suggested. The other two quickly nodded as they made for the staircase behind them leading upwards. The pirate crew made chase, taking careful measure to avoid crushing the knocked out guard to death in a stampede. As they got over, the thirty pirates got stuck at the staircase bottom, each one trying to push and shove to be first up the stairs.

Kraken pulled his eyebrows in a gesture of embarrassment. "You stupid oafs! Can't ye do anything right! One at a time, you stupid fools! Yarr!"

Rouge, Falcon, and Galuda were on the balcony. It was dark up there with dusty rails and no sign of gold. There was also no sign of an exit. Hay was originally stored here, but now two awakening pirates took hold.

Galuda picked up a barrel. "This should slow them down some." He rolled it down the staircase as the advancing pirate crew came into view. In shouts of dismay and screams of terror, the pirates ran down the stairs in a futile attempt to dodge the barrel.

"Like a game of ten pins my friend!" Falcon laughed.

"Arg! Wot are you three doin here? The Cap'n won't like it!" One of the pirate guards said.

"Yea we figured that out! How about going back to sleep for me, huh?" Rouge asked as she gave a powerful and fiery jab to the pirates face. He was out of the game in a flash.

"'Ey you lot! Get yer ugly mugs together and get back up those stairs! And you…." Kraken turned  towards Octo and Puss. "go 'round back and climb up der ladder! Git em from behind! Yarr!"

Aye aye Cap'n!" Octo saluted.

"Aye Aye!" Puss saluted as well. The two ran out the barn and made for the back.

Falcon and Galuda were trying to hold off the stair way with all sorts of furniture and props they could find as Rouge advanced upon the third and last guard. The guard did not seem happy one bit.

"You stay back er I will kill you! Arr!" The pirate said half heartedly as he swung his scimitar around

"I wouldn't dream of hurting you little pirate man! I just want to return you to your friends…" Rouge said in a mocking baby voice.

"Huh? How?" The pirate asked. Rouge bent down and lifted the loose board he was standing on, sending him falling over the edge. She turned back to her friends.

"How are we holding up?" She asked.

"There's a whole flippen do da parade of pirates on the other side of this mess! Wot do you think?" Falcon replied.

"This should hold them for a little while. I think that we are O.K for the moment." Galuda reassured his friend.

"For the moment anyway. We're stranded up here. What do we do next?" Rouge asked.

Just then tow unnoticed dirty window curtains kicked open, and the thin wiry pirate Octo and the large bulky pirate called Puss jumped in.

"Well well well, wot have we got here? A couple of rats in a trap, eh Puss?" Octo sneered as he raised his rapier.

"Rats in a trap Octo!" Puss repeated, holding his great club.

"When will you guys ever learn?" Rouge sighed. She left her post and approached the two pirates, smiling the whole way.

"You got a lot of guts lady! Too bad for you though! Hehehe!" Octo jested.

Rouge didn't bother to reply. She called upon her talents as a Firedancer, drawing flames from her body as she danced. Then she sent a burning blow to Octo's face, crushing his purple tinted glasses. In another moment she had Puss's great club pretending to be a torch as it quickly burned away. Octo and Puss fell to their knees in front of the dancer.

"Please don't kill us yer greatness! We be only following orders! We already have enough on our mind about finding a new place to sail! Kraken a be sure to kill us if we fail both times!" Octo pleaded.

"Captain threaten us if we don't sail somewhere new too." Puss allotted.

"I don't care! I'm about to send you flying out the way you came!" Rouge said.

"Wait a second Rouge! This could be of use!" Falcon said, as he grew closer.

"How? These two are more pathetic than normal pirates!" Rouge asked.

Falcon looked down at the groveling pirates. "What are your monikers?"

"We be Octo and Puss, your greatness! Don't kill us!" Octo replied.

"Well Octo, I'm Falcon. You say you need to sail south somewhere eh? I believe we can work out a deal?" Falcon said.

"Anything your great Falcon sir!" Octo continued to grovel.

"Anything." Puss repeated.

"Good. Look, we need Captain Kraken's help with something down south in Manches, France. You get your Captain to help us, and we'll let you into Manches' port. If you don't, well you'll be either fish food or worm food. Your choice."

"Of coarse Falcon sir! We can do that! Kill two birds with one stone! Hahahaha! Yea, we'll go now and do that right now if you don't mind so just let us go and don't kick us punch us burn us or stab us just let us go down the ladder like this now bye!" Octo and Puss were down the ladder faster than the wind.

Rouge looked at Falcon. "Do you think it will work?"

Falcon puffed out his chest. "Of coarse it will. It is my idea."

** *


	17. XVII

Night was approaching the town of Fedje quickly. The cold winds of the oncoming moon started to grasp the port hamlet in a most chilling manner. The Hockenheim and the oxen stood as they did before. The town was dead, save one barn. Octo, a small, skinny lad with purple tinted glasses, an open vest, and a bandana came scrambling down a tall ladder. A rather brutish fellow, perhaps wider than tall, followed him called Puss who wore the same vest and bandana as his smaller partner in piracy. The two made no cautionary attempts on their way down from the tiny window far up the barn wall. Almost flying down, the pirates made their way to their captain, the very angry captain Ebenezer Kraken.

Kraken turned to meet them, his face a look of an erupting volcano. "What in the name of Davy Jones' Locker are you two gull brained fish faced shark bait idiots doing down here?! Yarr!"

Octo, the usual talker of the two, spoke. "Well, uh, Cap'n. The enemy has a deal to make…"

"Deal to make." Puss repeated.

"Captain Kraken of the northern seas doesn't make no deals! Now go back up there you squid balls and kill them! Yarr!" Kraken spat.

"But- But sir! They offer to br-bring us to a south base! They'll allow us in to a port in France!" Octo repeated.

"Port in France, Cap'n." Puss stated.

"…France eh? Ahar, that's a deal kind to me ears! Go back and tell them to come down so we can talk about this deal. Yarr." Kraken smiled.

"Yes sir!" Octo saluted.

"Yes sir!" Puss did as well.

The two were up the ladders in a matter of moments. The two clambered in through the window to the awaiting three. 

Rouge was the first to ask something. "Well?"

"The good Cap'n wants to see you all to make that deal. He sounds rather pleased!" Octo answered.

"Rather pleased." Puss repeated.

"Good. It's what I thought would happen. Now go back and tell your captain to call off his cronies and we'll come down." Falcon said.

"Aye aye!" Octo saluted and retreated towards the ladders, urging Puss to follow.

"Kraken seems interested. But for what interests him so in the south?" Galuda pondered.

"Galuda, Galuda. You have to learn to forgive! Sure he's a crazy flippin megalomaniac pirate, but deep down, he's an idiot." Falcon laughed.

"Well don't underestimate him too much Eddy. After all, he is immortal." Rouge stated.

"It's not Eddy! It's Falcon! Falcon! As of the house of Falcon, not the house of Edward! Sheesh!" Falcon rambled.

** *

Octo and Puss scrambled down the ladder once more, hurrying to their beloved leader. Kraken was polishing his pistol, expecting the two's company.

"Cap'n! They say call off the men and they'll come down!" Ocot reported.

"Hahar then! King! Yarr." Kraken called to his helmsman.

"Aye Cap'n?" King asked back.

"Tell the men to back down. We have a deal to make with these treasure thieves! Ahar yarr!" Kraken smiled.

** *

The great wall of furniture was removed after the pirate horde backed outside the barn. Falcon, Rouge, and Galuda came down the stairs. Rouge and Galuda had the cautious and alert look upon their faces, but Falcon wore the face of an admiral's victory. Chest out and nose high, he lead the other two down the spiral staircase and outside the barn. The pirate crew made a path for them, each growling and snarling. Ahead of them Captain Kraken sat on a treasure chest, polishing his pistol. Octo and Puss were standing on his right, and King was to his left. Kraken smiled.

"Ahar Ahoy treasure thieves, wot can I offer you, some wine or cider? Yarr?" Kraken offered.

"No thanks Ebenezer. Looks like you regained yer bally face since the least time we met, wot wot." Falcon smiled.

Rouge whispered to Falcon. "What are you doing Falcon? Trying to get us killed?"

"Shhh, let me do the talking." Falcon winked at her.

"We've met before? Your scurvy mugs don't look familiar…yarr." Kraken raised an eyebrow.

"Of coarse we have! The name is Edward Falcon, Falcon to his friends. A year ago, aboard the King Octopus in the Russian town of Skullhaven Remember now?" Falcon gestured with his hands.

Kraken glanced over the three, his brow furrowed in thought. A moment passed by before he finally spoke. "Arg, I recognize at least one of ye! The ingin der, gave me a good knock around then! Stole most of me booty to with his stealthy crew arr. Hoho! You got a lot of guts coming back to me, yarr!"

Galuda scowled with the offensive remark he was dealt. Rouge's hand on his broad shoulder told him to remain quiet.

"I hear talk of your battles up here Kraken. They say you can't be defeated anymore. Talk says your immortal due to a power stone wish…" Falcon told.

"Tis all true Mr. Falcon, the crew of the King Octopus cannot be bested, arg, every vessel and every crew we've met has fallen before us, arr! How do you think we've gained the riches of kings in so little amount of time? Yarr." Kraken bragged.

"That sounds all so impressive Captain. However, could you defeat another man blessed with the power of a power stone?" Falcon taunted.

A hubbub of gossip instantly swam through the crewmen. Kraken's eyebrow twitched.

"Are ye saying that you've taken the power of a power stone upon yerself, yarr?!" Kraken stood up.

"Not at all Captain. But there is a creature in the town of Manches, France, which has been created due to a thoughtless wish. It is blessed with the strengths of the power stone and now is on a rampage, killing innocent women in the dead of night. The local police are helpless and even we, adventurers seasoned with experience in the power stone field, cannot act against it. My question is, do you think you can beat it?" Falcon crossed his arms.

The hubbub among the pirates ceased as they waited for their leader to answer. Each one wanted to see if their hero would stand against the challenge.

Kraken's face was a cinderblock for quite the time until he suddenly burst out laughing. "Hohohoho! Of coarse I can! Arg! After all, I am the infamous Captain Ebenzer Kraken, head of the King Octopus and her dreaded crew! Yarr! Hohohohoho!"

The crowd gave a cheer. Kraken looked content with himself. Octo and Puss had a somewhat daunted look upon their faces. Falcon looked pleased with himself as well. And Galuda and Rouge each had a relieved expression.

"Alright Kraken, here's the deal. You come to Manches and help us fight against Other Jack and the Lady Julia and myself will give you a rather large plot of land and wealth in the Canary Islands." Falcon stated.

"Falcon, do you and Julia really have land in the Canaries?" Rouge whispered.

"Sure do. That's how are families met. My family owns one half of an island and her family owns the other half and the seas around it. Shhh now, it's not over yet, wot wot." Falcon whispered back.

"Arr, the Canary Isles eh? Tis to the south alright, owned by Spain. Plenty of loot right there… Harhar. Alright then Mr. Falcon, ye got yerself a deal! Yarr!" Kraken stretched out his hand in order to shake Falcon's.

With a smile Falcon received the shake courteously. He turned back to his comrades and gave the thumbs up gesture. Smiling back, the two did the same.

"Alright crew, arr! Move all the treasure onto the ship, take down our flags and pack some provisions, we head south! Yarr!" Kraken roared to his troops.

There was a most jubilant sound of cheering from the men. Hats and bandanas went flying into the now dark air. Octo and Puss were now grinning like drunken fools. The scene was a cheerful one if ever. Fedje was liberated and a plan to stop Other Jack was going into effect.

"Now all we have to do is get the plane repaired." Galuda said.

"Huh, forgot all about the Hockenheim. Guess we'll have to find someone to repair her tomorrow morn." Falcon scratched his blonde head.

"Well now Master Falcon, I wouldn't look too hard. It just so happens that Puss and myself here are master vehicle repairmen!" Octo stepped up, raising his tinted glasses.

"Repairmen we be." Puss stated.

Rouge raised her eyebrow. "You guys can repair a flying machine?"

"Ba! It is to say, Puss may look like a muscle bound idiot on the outside, but he's in actually a descent mechanic. And you can just look at me and tell I'm good with machines." Octo placed his hand to his chest.

"Alright pirate…" Falcon bgan.

"Octo is the name, the brains of the outfit. And you already know Puss over here." Octo interrupted.

"Yup, Puss is the name." Puss bellowed.

"…Octo Puss, how creepy is that?" Rouge whispered.

"We'll fix yer plane up fer ye in the night, that way you can leave in the morn, for a price that is." Octo said.

"How bout you fix it and we won't kick yer bloody ass's into next Tuesday?!" Falcon pulled up one sleeve.

"Deal!" Octo finished.

"Great. Now you just need to return those oxen!" Galuda grinned.

Falcon face faulted. "Oh shit…"

** *

The sun peeked over the ocean's horizon by the time the King Octopus left port. All the native Fedjians were frolicking with delight as the ghastly vessel, with it's new inhabitants Galuda, Rouge, Falcon, and the Hockenheim, sailed past the lighthouse. The Jolly Roger was gone from the peaks of every roof. Fedje was saved.

** *

Earlier in the history of things that have passed, Jack, Ayame, and Accel had wandered through the vast underground networks of France. More specifically Manches. Little did they know that underneath the quiet sleepy town was a complicated web of sewers and pipelines, subways and cables. Manches sat on one of Frances hub centers for the underground networks, and this fact did not help the three find their way to their goal, a discarded power stone. However, Jack's keen sense of the stone was guiding them through the murky abyss, but what other creatures lurk in the depths of the world?

The copper passageway was becoming wider and light tentatively passed into the chamber. This brought a smile to Accel and Ayame's features.

"I guess we're almost out." Accel stated.

"Yea, it feels like we've spent a week down here." Ayame stretched.

"Shhh, the stone lies ahead." Jack quieted the two.

Not too much time passed when the three entered an almost ironic sight. From the dark dusty chamber they emerged into a grand chamber. Shining brilliantly by thousands of golden light bulbs planted in the walls, the domed ceiling stretched over what seemed like an abandoned subway station. Staircases carved with exquisite intricacy brought the pipeline entrances to the archaic underground trains cars resting by the platform. Amazingly, every thing was clean and well kept. Jewelry of every kind decorated the station. And female items strangely lined about.

"Beautiful…" Ayame clasped her hands together in awe.

"Well would you look at that…" Accel whistled.

"Hahahahaha! The stone's in here! I smell it so!" Jack laughed.

Accel stepped onto the stair, placing his hand on the rail. "Yea, but the stone could be in a thousand places here."

"Hey, why are these lights on? Don't you guys think this is kind of odd?" Ayame suddenly stopped.

The other two turned to face her, the absurdity of the scene finally setting on them.

"Yea, and what's with all the women accessories lying about?" Accel thought aloud.

"Hahahahahahahahahhaha!" A strange high-pitched laugh echoes throughout the station. The three looked around, trying to find the source.

Ayame felt a cold breeze blow upon her neck. He turned slowly, scared to the bone about what might happen. Her eyes focused on one thing and one thing alone. There on the ceiling was a creature crawling about such as a spider would. There was Other Jack.

"Gah! Look!" Ayame screamed.

Accel and Jack instantly flipped about, their eyes quickly scanning the room for the dangerous mad man.

"I don't see it Ayame! It is Other Jack isn't it?!" Accel drew his guns out.

"He is here alright. His smell outweighs the stones!" Jack hissed.

Ayame tried to point the offending object out, but he was not to be seen by other eyes. Quickly thinking, Ayame summoned one of her shurikens and sent it flying in the direction. Striking a light bulb, showers of sparks fell from the sky as a golden rain. Accel found his target.

"Jack, you and Ayame find the power stone, I'll try to hold him off!" Accel commanded.

"But! But Accel!" Ayame bit her lip.

"Just go! It's up to you to try and find a weakness in him! I'll give you as much time as I can! Now get moving!" Accel shouted.

Other Jack leaped to the ground, falling on the other side of the station.

"Come Ayame. If we want to help Accel, we'll do what he says." Jack said.

Ayame did not know what to do…

** *


	18. XVIII

A golden rain of fiery sparks descended from the underground abandoned railroad station ceiling as naked light bulbs exploded from the surges sent through them. Ayame's shuriken had started the dominoes, striking the first and sending a wave of fury through the remaining. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of light bulbs still existed within the confines of the railcar grave; the lighting was not prone to go out any time soon. The menace found itself on the floor, on the opposite side of the cars that it desired to be on. Other Jack had leaped to the earth to avoid the electrical precipitation falling from the grandeur roof.

"Ayame! We must make haste!" Jack screeched as he scuttled towards an open railway car.

"I know! The power stone!" Ayame yelped.

Accel turned his back on the young Japanese girl and flocked for what seemed to be a steam-powered crane. He glanced behind him to make sure that his love was making a run for the opposite area.

Jack and Ayame dived into a railway car, sending mounds of dust flying into the musty air. Summoning all her strength, Ayame attempted to close the fifty-year-old door. With an ear splitting creak the door slid shut. Jack through one of his knives on the door lock to try to keep it shut.

"Jack? That's your knife… the most precious item in the world to you…" Ayame was at a loss for the sacrifice that Jack was about to make.

"It will do me no good when I am dead, no? Haha, I'm not about to give it to my evil twin there either!" Jack mused.

The railway car was an elegant one, lighted with swinging light bulbs dressed in lampshades. The overall color was a dusty red. Chairs covered in soft red velvet, and mahogany tables lied about. This could have been the gambling car at one time. Etters, papers, knick-knacks, and assorted items were thrown about, littering the car in a blanket of filth. The windows were tinted black, the carpet invisible under a sea of women's beauty items, and several shining object lied about.

"Shinies! Oh so many shinies! Which one is the power shiny!? Jack wonders so!" Jack rubbed his hands together greedily.

"Keep on task Jack! Accel's out there trying to buy us time to find the stone! Can't you smell it or something?" Ayame pushed over a box filled with junk.

Jack sniffed the air, swaying his head to and fro like a crane would do in the midsts of a dance. He closed his one red eye, trying to lock onto the scent of the fine stone. After a moment, Jack shook his head. "Eh, Other Jack's smell is overpowering the shiny. Jack, I, can't latch onto it…"

Ayame sunk. "Then we better look for it. How big is it?"

"Huh, about as tall as the base of my palm to the tip of my pointing finger and as wide as the length of my thumb." Jack made an "L" figure with his free hand.

"And the color?"

"Deep purple, no red! Wait… purple! Red! Purple!"

"Purple or Red, got it!"

Ayame's ninja skills had taught her to be aware of every aspect her senses could provide. So many polished gems shined in the lighting. She quickly knocked over several cardboard boxes filled with photographs in an attempt to find the one stone. "We could be here for a very long time looking for it, Accel doesn't have that long out there!"

THUD! The whole car shook violently as a powerful object landed on the car's top and bounced off. The lighting flickered on and off as papers and dust exploded in a scene of chaos. The gems scattered about like leaves in the wind. Ayame gripped onto a swinging light to maintain her balance. The shaking soon stopped, leaving a most unfortunate mess. Jack looked towards the door.

"He's on the door side!" Jack pointed out.

Ayame gulped. The one knife might not hold him off! In fact she was sure it wouldn't. She would just have to hold her ground no matter what. But she couldn't stop thinking what happened to Accel.

"What are you doing Ayame?! Help look! Quick like!" Jack practically submerged underneath the litter on the floor, searching for the one stone.

"It's-It's not here." Ayame stuttered after shoving the table out of the way.

Jack looked up from a box. "What? Not in this car? Hahahaha, what an unfortunate mess, hehehe."

"What's so funny? We have to run to the next car!" Ayame asked.

"Them only thing funny is that we have no idea what's going on outside. Hehehe we could walk right into an ambush!"

"Well we can't just stay in here forever! Accel's depending on us! There's gotta be someway out of this car besides the door!"

Jack looked around from his box, trying to locate some sort of exit. The roof was all one piece and the only door was the one they had locked. Jack then dived under the liter, searching.

"Hurry Jack!" Ayame exclaimed.

"Aha! Found it!" Jack's voice squeaked.

"Found what? An exit?"

Jack emerged from a wastebasket by the front of the car. "There's a panel here on the floor. Hehehehe, it's a tight squeeze, but we can crawl along the track to the next car."

Ayame hopped over to the panel. It was, sure enough, a very tiny metal grate. Jack pried it out of place easy enough, letting the dust fly into the tense air. Dark tracks ran a little over a foot below. Ayame glanced down, deciding if she could wriggle down there.

"I'll go first. I'll be faster than you!" Jack slowly slid into the panel and onto the tracks. Breaking every bone and popping every joint, Jack managed a very strange insect like skitter below the cars. Light only poured in by the sides where the inch wide gap rested. There was no sign of action to disturb the lighting. It took even Jack a slight bit of uncomfortable time to reach the panel in the next car.

He looked up at the panel. Thankfully there were no screws or nails to hold it in place. Jack sighed relief and placed his hands firmly against the metal rectangle. Ever so slowly, he pushed the lid up, giving him light from the car above. No shadows or moving obstructions blockaded the light. This was good. Working like an acrobat, Jack slid himself into the car in a very slow and cautious manner. The car looked like the one before, almost exactly. Except the door was wide open. Jack instantly leaped for it and without a second looked pulled it shut and placed his remaining knife on the door's handles.

Twenty odd minutes passed before Ayame judged that the Frenchman had reached the car. The sounds of battle did not reach her ears. Taking one last look around, Ayame crawled into the hole. For Ayame the trip was painful and slow. Being a natural human she found it extremely difficult and close quartered. It took her an hour or so before she reached the other car. Fortunately only one car was ahead of this one, and that was the engine. When she popped her pretty head in she found Jack digging through a purse.

"Ah yes. Perfect shiny! Hehehehehehehe!" Jack laughed.

Ayame raised an eyebrow. What was Jack doing? "Jack! Help me up." Ayame called.

Jack leaped up nervously and stuffed the purse under a chair. Quickly he turned back to Ayame and scuttled for her. He reached out his bandaged hand and helped her in.

"Have you found the power stone yet?" Ayame asked.

"Uh no! It's still in here somewhere, I'm sure!" Jack said.

Ayame hesitated a moment before replying, but decided to skip her thoughts and get to work on the real problem. "…Right. You look over there and I'll jump over here."

Ayame placed her hands into a box and dug around. The crate was full of gems of every kind, but not the one she was looking for. That stone could be anywhere. She spun around to hear Jack laugh.

"Haha, I think I've caught onto it! Hahahaha! Somewhere in this half of the car." Jack laughed.

Ayame wiped her brow and smiled. Her thoughts wondered off to Accel and Other Jack. Why hadn't anything happened yet?

** *

The steam lift was near a tunnel entrance, where the front of the train lied. Mounds of coal dozens of feet high surrounded the monstrosity. Its metal claws resembled a dinosaurs head, ready to grab into a mouthful of coal and drop it into the trains resource cars. It lied dead silent.

Accel sat quietly behind a small pile of black coal. Other Jack was stalking him, crawling around the ticket office for over an hour and a half. Accel was doing his job, luring the beast away from his friends. However his calves were falling asleep from staying on his haunches for so long.

"Damned legs." Accel muttered to himself. If he didn't move, he'd soon go crazy from the tingling sensation running through both of his legs.

Slowly, Accel raised his body in an awkward attempt to bring feeling back into his legs. One leg stretched out unseen and silent, then the other. Slowly feeling drained into his body again. Sitting down on his bottom to stretch his legs out brought a painful reminder back to Accel. The spurs were still in his pocket! He clenched his teeth together to stop any noise. He reached for the metal spikes and drew them into his palm. Now was a better time than ever, he supposed, to put them back on. He clipped a spur onto his right leg as the feeling came back. But as he clipped it back onto his left a spasm from the feeling caused the spur to go flying off and into the coal pile. Accel gasped.

THUD!

The spur struck a piece of coal lying near the surface of his five foot tall pile to topple over, striking the next piece of coal and then the next one, creating a miniature rockslide. The noise was unbearable. Accel quickly picked himself up. Other Jack was already on his way.

"Shit!" Accel spat. He turned tail and started into the coal maze, heading for the mechanical beast ahead. "Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!"

The trail between the mountains of coal was small and unfortunately winding, causing the cowboy to lose his way several times. Accel knew he had to escape and escape fast! Other Jack was leaping from the summit of a coal pile to the next, quickly catching up to his prey.

Accel made it to the foot of the machine. Like a metal hill it rose upwards at a slant before the operating booth could be reached. Accel smiled. "This should help!"

Other Jack landed right behind, swinging both of his daggers in an expert fashion. "Hahahahaha! You dare come into my lair?!"

Accel didn't respond. He leaped bounds up the metal hill towards the dusty booth. Other Jack was right on his tail, striking the one spur with his nasty daggers. After the perilous climb, Accel launched himself into the booth. He quickly slammed the metal door shut and did his best to lock it.

"Ah hell! How do you turn this damn thing on?!" Accel pressed every button and turned every dial he possibly could.

Outside Other Jack pounded against the steam shovel's frame, trying to get in. Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Needless to say it did little to help Accel's position.

VAROOOOOM! With the turn of a key, Accel got the machine started up. Steam erupted in great clouds from the machines old pipes and the whole frame rattled like it was going to fall apart. The start up was such a shock that even Other Jack fell of the shovel and into the coal and steam below.

Accel grabbed a lever and pulled it as hard as he could. The great mouth of the shovel opened. "This should slow you down you filthy bastard!" The pull of a couple levers sent the crane's head crashing into the coal below. Other Jack emerged from the steam rolling like mists. Accel made it his priority to chase the enemy no matter what. The yellow head of the machine swung through the maze, making for the ever-elusive Other Jack.

"Hahahahahaha!" Other Jack laughed as he darted around every crash of the machine. Accel's eyes narrowed.

** *

Ayame placed her hands between the dusty cushions of a crimson velvet couch. He searching hands made contact with crystalline form. She smiled. She pulled it but it was stuck. "Jack! Come here I think I found it!"

Jack dropped the chair he was holding and leaped over. "Pull it out! Pull it out! My shiny!"

"It's stuck! You'll have to help me!" Ayame told him.

Jack's powerful hands grabbed the stone, and together they pulled with all their might. After a moment they both fell backwards with a power stone in there hands.

"This is it! My shiny!" Jack laughed.

"The power stone!" Ayame screamed.

** *

Other Jack stopped right in his tracks on top of a coal mound. His red eye twitched. "My shiny! Someone has my shiny!"

The moment taken by the distraction was all Accel needed. With a grin and a lever, the machine's steam shovel plowed down on top of the creature, crashing right through the black rocks. Steam erupted all over as the shovel crashed into the station floor below the pile. Coal flew everywhere as well as bolts as the force was so immense. The crane leaned a sick way to the left. The machine had broken from the force exerted.

"Accel!" Ayame called. She stood near the car's entrance, it's door unlocked. "We have the power stone!"

Accel leaped out of the machine and slid down the coal piles. Steam was still billowing from the steam shovel. He strode through the mists until he came near the train.

"Accel we got the stone!" Ayame said with glee.

Jack emerged with his one knife. "What happened to Other Jack?"

Accel pointed to the rubble behind him. "He's under all of that. That should hold him for a while!"

CAREEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAKKKKK! The sound of metal twisting and turning reached the three's ears.

"It's-it's impossible!" Ayame stuttered.

"Quickly! Into the engine car!" Accel grabbed Ayame by the shoulder and shoved her into the front. The engine car was open to the outside. The furnace stood ready. Accel grabbed a shovel and started shoveling coal into the furnace. "Come on people! Shovel!"

Ayame grabbed a shovel and threw some coal in as well. Jack looked out side. "Other Jack is at the top of the coal pile! No time! Start train now!"

Accel grabbed a lever and a flame burst into light. Steam erupted once again into the station as the trains wheels started to move. The train started pull into tunnel ahead. Soon the station was completely gone and the train raced down the dark dusty rails of an abandoned tunnel.

"Is he still there?" Accel asked as he manned the levers.

Jack looked out once again. "YEA! HE STILL THERE! RIGHT BEHIND US!"

Other Jack was racing by the side of the train, gaining distance as he closed in.

"Damnit! Ayame! Use the stone to wish him dead or something!"

"I can't! You can only have one wish on the stone and I already made mine!" Ayame gasped.

"You told me that your father took it from you!" Accel gritted his teeth.

"I know but I lied. The truth is I actually wished for something when I received it. It… it just took time to reach me." Ayame's voice trailed off.

"What are you talking about?!" Accel asked.

"He's gaining!" Jack interrupted.

"I – I wished I'd meet the love of my life! I met you!" Ayame confessed.

"…Ayame…" Accel was at a loss for words.

** *


	19. XIX

Under the town of Manches lied an infinite labyrinth of abandoned railways and sewer ducts. Some have collected dust and mold over the years of absence, others trusted with new wiring to bring power to the city. Within one of these underground forgotten railways a train raced down the tracks with smoke stack billowing the black smoke around it. Accel, Ayame, and Jack were piloting the vehicle to their best of their knowledge, heading for unknown areas in an escape from an awesome power lurking in the deep parts of the world. Other Jack was running at the top of his speeds, catching up with the engine car speeding down the track. Accel was lost in thought from Ayame's confession. Her wish was spent on him.

"So you mean to say that our meeting wasn't coincidence at all?" Accel asked in an attempt to grasp a hold on the situation.

"I thought so at first, but over time I realize that you're my wish." Ayame answered quietly.

"No time! Make train go faster!" Jack screamed.

"I…I don't know what to say. I wasn't a man to believe in fate. Was this whole event planned out? Answer me!" Accel was eager to know.

"I don't know! All I know is that you're my love and the stone brought you on that flight where we met. The rest could be chance or the power stone, I don't know!" Ayame responded.

"Must go faster! Must speed up!" Jack insisted.

The naked light bulbs blurred overhead as they flew by. The train's wheels moaned as they spun with the coalspower given to them. The tunnel became darker and darker as the grand station disappeared behind them for good. Holes in the railroad line appeared, worn out from years of maltreatment. Pits of infinite length appeared below randomly, and extended concrete piping reached from the lower walls at an awkward upward angle. The train started to rock side to side with the unchecked speed and railway.

"AYAME! ACCEL! OTHER JACK'S RIGHT BEHIND US!" Jack leaped between the two confused lovers, screaming about their untold doom.

"Wha? Shit!" Accel replied. He shoved Jack out of the way to glance over the right side of the train. Sure enough, the devious being was closing in the gap behind them.

"Is there no end to this thing?" Ayame asked.

"Hahaha! The trap! Remember the lure! Use the power stone!" Jack suddenly remembered.

Ayame looked at the shining stone in her hand. With a look of concentration, she tossed it to the cowboy. "You take the stone, I'll take the controls!"

Accel caught the stone. "Right! Uh… I just wish him gone?"

"Yea, it should work!" Jack replied.

"Hurry Accel!" Ayame called.

Accel closed his eyes. He repeated to himself the line. "Just gotta wish him gone. Just gotta wish him gone." But deep down, the only means of gaining his ultimate desires was within his reach. Was he really going to use his wish on this? The thoughts ran through his head, doing battle with each other. What should he do? "Just gotta wish him gone…"

"He's- Other Jack's gone!" Jack exclaimed.

Accel opened his eyes.

"He vanished! Just like that!" Jack said.

Accel peered over the side, still clutching on to the stone. Nothing was there.

Ayame leaped from the controls towards the American. "Oh Accel! I know you could do it!"

Accel hugged back smiling. He didn't remember anything special, but he had never used a power stone either. "Just like that…" Accel repeated.

"Oh Accel, we finally did it! That creature can no longer terrorize the streets of this innocent city! You saved us all! I love you Accel!" Ayame squeezed him.

"I love you Ayame." Accel squeezed back.

Thwak! A disgusting noise filled the dark air. Ayame's eyes clenched tight and then softened. Her grip around Accel lightened.

Other Jack's red eye burned from the left side of the engine car. He was in the car, clutching the railing, showing a gleeful expression. A dagger was lodged in the small of Ayame's back.

Tears came to Accel's eyes. He had not made the wish after all. And now, now his love was dead. Her lips werecold, her eyes closed, and her posture limp. She looked as beautiful and as peaceful as ever.

"A-Ayame? Ayame wake up!" Jack pleaded.

"Hahahahahahahahaha!" Other Jack laughed.

"You! You killed Jack's friend! You are not Jack, you are a monster!" Jack drew his lonely dagger.

Accel still hung onto Ayame's body in disbelief. Other Jack's dagger fell from her body to the train's floor.

"DIE!" Jack leaped towards Other Jack, dagger bared. In the moment, Jack's courageousness doubled his speed, allowing him to strike into the heart of Other Jack. Other Jack winced. It was not enough. With a quick movement, Other Jack flung Jack off the train and into the darkness below the rickety rails beneath.

Accel squeezed Ayame harder, sobbing into her shoulder. This squeeze brought something to his attention. The power stone! He still had it. Accel frowned and closed his eyes.

"I-I wish Ayame Uematsu was …still alive…" He whispered.

The stone shined a brilliant purple. The underground tunnel brightened a hundred fold. Other Jack squinted. "No!"

Ayame slowly opened her eyes. She saw a tear faced smiling Accel in front of her. She smiled back. "Accel…"

"Ayame… my wish… is to be with you…" Accel smiled.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Other Jack screamed. Before Accel and Ayame could react, Other Jack leaped full force into the American, knocking both of them off the speeding train and into a dark concrete tube stretching into an black abyss.

Ayame was weak, but with all her might she leaped for the end of the train. She saw the tube vanish far behind as the train raced forward. Accel was gone…

The train's controls had been damaged in the fight and were barley operable. The railway behind collapsed as the train sped over, leaving a trail of no return. Ayame would have to wait until the tunnel split into a U-turn, which only god knew where. Ayame sat down and cried into her knees as the dark tunnel sped onward…

** *


	20. XX

The party had been split in half. One struck with luck, the other with tragedy. The two factions were completely unaware of each other's actions during the duration of each other's absence. However, an essential element to this little merry operation that had been largely forgotten by all but one was facing a dilemma as well.

Lady Julia Swan of the Swan estate was troubled. Her thoughts kept straying to the man Edward Falcon, self-appointed leader of the mission. It had been almost a week and she had not heard word from him. She sighed. Was she in love? She immediately sat up. Of coarse not, she rationalized, it would be silly to think otherwise. Feelings like that disappeared years ago. Than why was she feeling so anxious about all of this? It must be the mission. Yes, the mission. It all rides upon Falcon's broad, muscular shoulders. And upon those shoulders rests those darling blue eyes and that boyish grin...

"Madam?" Jean-Paul Gourmand's voice snapped her back to the estate dining room. She immediately straightened up.

"Yes Gourmand. What is it?" She asked.

"We have received word via telephone that Monsieur Abondues is heading over to speak of certain events." Gourmand replied.

                Julia's face fell. "Tis the news I've always longed for. What of the lady Uematsu, how is she faring?"

Gourmand's face took its turn turning into a sulk. "The old windbag won't leave me alone madam. I've taken her all over the French countryside and she still is not satisfied. I would never think such energy could rest within such an old frail body!"

                Julia smiled. "It is good to know that at least someone is enjoying themselves. When is the Monsieur scheduled to arrive?"

                DING DONG. The door chimes rang out loud.

                "That would be him." Gourmand stated.

                Julia sighed. "Let him in."

** *

                Monsieur Abondues walked into the dining room in his normal arrogant posture. Following him were several of his lawyers and other representatives of the governor's. He did not look happy at all.

                Lady Julia dressed in her elegant gown, curtsied to them. "Welcome Monsieur. Welcome all. Will you please take a seat?"

                "I think we will my lady." Abondues replied. He waited a minute, as if expecting something.

                Lady Julia gave him an inquisitive look before setting on the idea. "Oh!" She clapped. Several servants marched into the room and pulled out a chair for each Frenchman.

                "Thank you madam. Now, I am sure you are knowledgeable as to why we are here, are you not?" Abondues spoke. As he spoke he fiddled with an empty wine glass.

                "I am not quite sure as of yet Monsieur. Would you like some chardonnay and a muffin?" Julia replied.

                "Why thank you madam. I thought you'd never ask." He rolled his eyes. Servants poured the white wine into their glasses around the table. "Now to discuss the matter. It has to do with your little operation Aware now?"

                Julia furrowed her brow in an attempt to think. "My investigative team has been gone nearly seven days Monsieur. I cannot think of anything done."

                "Only three of your operators have been gone the week. Three have been here in Manches the entire time. Do you think not that we would have our own eyes watching them?"

                "This is a private enterprise Monsieur Abondues. You can't be spying on my actions!"

                "On the contrary. You have a murderous serial killer in your custody and several dangerous aliens causing a ruckus here in Manches and destroying public property. I think very well that it has the interest of the governor and his people. It is the best for France and her people. That's what we do madam."

                "What actions have brought you here to my estate gentlemen. I can tell you I haven't seen any destruction or defacing of public property within this past week."

                "Of coarse you haven't madam. The action took place within Manches underground network. Several gentlemen of Manches have been assaulted, a train has been stolen, a steam shovel destroyed, and several miles of track damaged to no repair. The criminal suspects in this case belong to your operation: John Accel, Ayame Uematsu, and Jack Cardin. The three are missing as of this moment."

                "Really. Quite fascinating. But I would like to see how you know that these three did these heinous crimes."

                "Ah Madam. We have an eyewitness report from three different men. That is all we need to throw the book at your team. When you signed Jack's release forms it clearly stated he was on a probationary sentence. One actions would land him back in cell block 9."

                Julia stood up. "And how do you know that these three men are not liars? Many think Jack is guilty by rumor alone!"

                "Why would any gentleman of France lie? You are forgetting your true loyalties, Madam Swan. Viva La France!" Monsieur Abondues stated.

                "Viva La France!" Abondues's men repeated with all the gusto they could muster.

                "Well what do you plan on doing with them once you find them?" Julia Swan asked irritated.

                "Jack Cardin's original sentence shall be put back into effect. And the other two shall receive the same sentence for aiding an enemy of the state of Manches." Abondues finished off the chardonnay. "Well my lady. We shall take our leave. Bonjour."

                The men helped themselves out the door, hailing to the drivers in their respective horseless carriages. Julia stood on the front steps next to the butler, visibly fuming with rage.

                From the top of a column decorating her front lawn, a bandaged man in a green coat with a red splotch on his forehead quietly watched.

                "What do those men want with Jack's friend?" Jack asked himself.

                Once the governor's men were gone, Julia stomped inside her abode. Stealthily Jack followed. He needed to find help. And the only form of it at the moment was in Julia.

                "My lady?" Gourmand approached Julia as she sat down in a large sofa.

                "Oh Gourmand. Why must things keep getting worse and worse? Falcon has been gone a week, Other Jack is still at large, and now the governor wants Jack executed, along with the rest of the party. I don't know what to do anymore…" Julia placed her face in her hands.

                "Shhh. There there my lady. It will be all better. If there's one thing I've learned about this particular group, it's that they can handle themselves. Master Falcon is probably on his way home as we speak. And Miss Ayame is much to slick for the silly police to catch. Now why don't you have a pasty? I promise you'll fell better by the time your done eating it." Gourmand handed the woman a pasty.

                A creek was heard from the rafters. From the high above ceiling leaped down the bandaged leper Jack. Landing gracefully on all fours, he slowly rose to his back legs, swaying in his odd manor. Needless to say, Julia and Gourmand both had a look of dreadful fright on their faces.

                "Julia It is I, Jack, Ayame's friend. I have returned." Jack said.

                Julia leaned forward. "J-Jack! You're in grave danger! The Governors men are after you! You need to run as fast you can this moment!"

                "No! Jack won't leave friends!" Jack replied.

                "Where are they? Where are Accel and Ayame?" Julia asked.

                "Other Jack." Was all Jack said.

                "What? Other Jack?" Julia asked.

                "…Other Jack attacked us. K-killed Miss Ayame with a dagger… knocked me and Accel off train. I fell below tracks into deep ravine several days ago. Train still moving, Jack felt it…" Jack told.

                "Oh my god… Is Accel still alive?" Julia asked.

                "…I-I saw Accel two days past in dark tunnels deep underground. …He had the bloodlust in his eyes. He would not even acknowledge me. He hunts Other Jack by himself down there in the place of many graves."

                "Place of many graves?"

                "The old catacombs." Gourmand reported. "They were built in medieval times by the church to house the dead of the clergy. However after all these years most people have forgotten about them. They're underneath the underground railways and electrical tunnels by far."

                "We have to help him! He can't fight underground by himself forever! Oh if only Edward was here!" Julia cried out.

                "Jack does not know what to do. The power stone is lost…" Jack sighed.

                DING DONG! The door rang once more.

                "Madam." The butler came in. "A red bi-plane has just landed on the family lake."

                Julia jumped to the end of the room. "The Hockenheim! Damn that thing to hell but for once I'm glad to see it!"

                Jack and Gourmand followed suit to meet the arriving party.


	21. XXI

                The December chill had brought the first snow to the ground. The lake was covered in a skin of thin frail ice. A storm was rolling in. And with the storm came a red seaplane. The Hockenheim had been modified since it's last visit to the Swan family estate, where the lake was located. It now had a pontoon over each wheel, creating the Hockenheim seaplane. Snow flurries flew in to the pilot's goggles, causing temporary blindness. The lake was coming on quickly.

                Julia Swan, Jack Cardin, Jean-Paul Gourmand, and half of the manor staff came out of the mansion to pay witness to the landing. The engine had grown, creating the most god-awful noise anyone had ever heard. Julia's eyes were ablaze with happiness, her smile as large as the Atlantic, I chide you not. She through up both of her arms and waved to the landing plane. The plane came down noisily on the ice, instantly shattering the skin of the lake with the utmost ease. The plane continued forward a bit until it stopped. A long broken trail stretched from behind. From the frost-covered shore, Julia could see the three passengers.  The pilot looked to the shore and waved. Julia giggled. She didn't know why, she just did. The seaplane pulled forward until it knocked into the wooden dock ahead. It repelled back a foot or so and bobbed up and down in the ice and water. Galuda, Rouge, and Falcon hopped out onto the dock. The two groups instantly started heading towards each other.

                "Julia we're back!" Exclaimed Falcon as he took off his goggled aviators cap.

                "I never doubted that you would return." She said with that smile.

                "The mission was a success! Captain Kraken's here to aid!" Rouge winked at her host.

                "That's wonderful! Well where is he? I have to arrange some kind of formal introduction." Julia looked around the shore.

                "Where is Ayame?" Galuda interrupted.

                Julia fell silent. The thought returned to her. She glanced at Jack. He had a far away look in his lonely eye. Neither really didn't want to say.

                "Well there lass,. Don't keep a couple of chaps and chapesses waitin for too long. Where's the rest of the ol' gang?" Falcon grinned.

                "…Other Jack… got Ayame…" Jack whispered.

                The three instantly reeled back in shock. Silence fell onto the group beside the lake. The skies had been encased within a gray blanket and tiny white flurries fell towards the Earth. Falcon held his aviators cap to his heart.

                "… Monsieur Abondues wants you all arrested and executed as well…" Julia added, her smile completely gone. She stared at the frozen lawn as snow began to build.

                "…What of the American? Accel… is he?" Rouge asked.

                "I-I… don't know…" Julia sighed.

                "He is in the place of many graves deep under the earth, hunting for Other Jack. He has the blood lust within him…" Jack answered.

                "Some bloody welcome this is…" Falcon moaned.

                Galuda's eyes changed from sorrow to anger. Narrowing his black eyes, he strode forward out of the group and towards the manor house.

                "Galuda? Where are you going?!" Rouge shouted.

                Now fell into Galuda's long black hair. He turned his face to the rear. "No more killing. We finish this now."

                Jack's brain did an instant flashback.

{{Jack tossed the blade in his hand, catching the tip with his fingers and about to throw when Ayame slapped his wrists. "Jack! No killing!}}

Jack leaped foreword on all fours, finally reaching the Western giant. "Jack goes too. Ayame was Jack's friend! I'll lead you there!"

"But if you go out you'll all be captured and killed by the police!" Julia stepped forward.

"If it means stopping Other Jack once and for all, I'll face it. Galuda said.

"Well then, I'm with ye full throttle! And don't worry Julia my sweet. We're power stone adventurers! We're too good to get caught!" Falcon winked as he strode through the flurries.

"But…" Julia tried to come up with an excuse.

"Besides." Rouge walked over to the three. "We didn't go all the way to Norway and battled blood thirsty super pirates for nothing. We avenge Ayame, find Accel, and finish off Other Jack!"

"But you can't! Falcon you'll get killed!" Julia staggered towards the four.

"Lady Julia." Gourmand took hold of Julia's arm slightly. "Let them go. They knew what they were doing when they signed up for it. They need to avenge a close friend… surly you understand…"

Julia bit her lip and looked pleadingly at Falcon. The cocky pilot shook his head and then gave her a thumbs up.

"Don't fret my Lady. We'll be back. I'll be back… for you." Falcon bowed.

"Come on. We need to go." Rouge said with a hand on her hip.

BOOM! A cannon shot rang through the distance. Everyone looked to the north for the sounds source.

"Looks like Krakens arrived." Galuda stated.

"Falcon…" Julia whispered.

Falcon rushed forward and gave Julia a kiss on the cheek. He then smiled at her with his blue eyes. "You know I'm crazy for you Julia. That's for in case I don't come back." Falcon walked back to his friends, who were already retreating. "I shall return!"

Julia, Gourmand, and the staff watched them disappear in the falling snow. Ever falling forever snow…

** *

                Ayame was a survivor. She had been trained to survive in cases such as these. Living off the very meager rations she had bought that fateful day a week ago, she watched the tunnel stretch on and on loop after loop. It was on this December day that something caught her attention. The train had slowed down very much over the coarse of the week, allowing her to see and hear the various anomalies that made these depths their home. On this day she heard water. Not just water, but rising and falling water. The sound the ocean makes. Cold air began to flow in to the darkened hall, blowing past Ayame's pale face. She smiled. An exit! However, it wasn't the type she had hoped for. The tunnel began to descend and Ayame soon figured out a nasty thought. This train was about to go under water! She knew the tunnel was ending soon, the ocean noise made that sure. But she would have to go with the train until it came out. Sure enough, the cold water came into view. The train chugged into it like a suicidal wretch. The cold water splashed into the damp air as the wheels pumped through them. The water was getting deeper and the tunnel was getting narrower. In a matter of minutes the entire tunnel would be in the ice-cold seawater. Ayame panicked. What was she to do? She had to think up something quick to keep herself from drowning.

                Somehow, in the cold and dark, several water rushes were growing in the tunnel. The train was going slow enough so Ayame could identify them. Cattails, saw grass, waxberry, and others grew by the concrete walls. Ayame's teachings came into effect. The Japanese would often use certain species of water rushes as a type of snorkeling device. Though bamboo wouldn't grow in France, and especially not in a cold dark train tunnel, a cattail stalk would do the job. Holding a shuriken out, she neatly clipped a fine specimen out of the muddy bottom and grabbed it onto the train. She was running short on time. She wrapped the sweater around her tightly and chopped off the top of the cattail. Next she took one of the many leather coal bags lying around and sealed it shut, save for a tiny spot for the cattail to slide through. The ancient Japanese custom didn't go like this exactly, Ayame knew enough on how to improvise. She had made an air pocket for herself. Sticking the free cattail end in her mouth, she sucked air from the bag slowly as the train finally submerged.

                Darkness passed. She could feel the icy cold water seeping in through the sweater. It felt as if a thousand tiny knives were all stabbing her. After a couple of minutes of this grueling task, Ayame felt ass if she were going to pass out. But she did not. For light suddenly exploded into the sea. The train was coming to a halt, the icy seawater shutting its engines once and for all. The railway continued on for a bit on the bottom of the sea, but Ayame didn't care. She instantly sprang out of the train car and swam as fast as she could upwards, towards the blinding light. You see, Ayame had been in a dark tunnel for a week, and light was a forgotten gift by her eyes. Her air had run out. She spat out the snorkeling device as she swam as fast as she could. She could feel the claws of fatigue and even hypothermia taking hold. Just a little bit farther…

                The first thing Ayame heard when her head broke the surface of the bay was the roar of a cannon. She glanced over the bay. Several ships were docked by the piers, which were not far. But most peculiar was a giant extinct galleon, decked with the Jolly Roger. It was Krakens ship. A rowboat was drifting near, a lone fisherman on it. He was an old man, adorned in a rubber yellow jacket. The snow was falling from a gray sky.

                "Hey!" Ayame tried to shout, but found that she needed practice. She hadn't spoke in nearly seven days. She cleared her throat. "HEY!" Ayame screamed.

                The fisherman looked up and noticed the bobbing shivering girl. Instantly his boat came towards her. As the boat came by, the old man helped her in, for Ayame's extremities had frozen.

                "It looks like you've got the hypothermia, little girl. We have to quickly get you to land." The old man wrapped a large warm blanket around her.

                She nodded and then fell asleep.

** *

                Kraken came down the gangplank. He had the largest grin any pirate ever had. He had caused quite the ruckus. The police where everywhere at once, trying to fight off the pirates. However, their nightsticks and revolvers were not faring well against the power stone enhanced crew of the King Octopus. Krakens forces had won the pier. The police had retreated to within the city. The pirates all lounged about, waiting for an order by their captain. Kraken had his hands behind his back, supremely satisfied by the day's events. It was still only a quarter after noon, but Kraken didn't mind.

                "Ahar! Victory for the King Octopus, yarr!" Kraken laughed. The crowd of pirates cheered in response.

"We have taken the piers Cap'n! Wadda we do now?" King reported.

                "Ah, very good! Shiver me timbers and blow me down! It smells like a good day to die! We start a siege, like we did at Fedje, yarr!" Kraken ordered.

                "Uh, Cap'n. Remember in your deal with Falcon? You're only supposed to take on Other Jack and anyone else that gets in the way, not the villagers." Octo stated.

                "Jus' anyone that hits us boss." Puss said.

                Kraken eyed the duo. "…Aye, so it be. A pirate's word is worth his weight in gold, unless there's more gold to be plundered! Aharharharhar! Alright, here's how the ship sails! King, take a fourth of the crew and keep the local law enforcement at bay. Octo, you take another fourth of the crew and search out vittles and drink! The rest of ye lot stay here and protect the ship! Yarr."

                "And what will you be doin Cap'n?" Octo asked.

                "Yea, what are you doing boss?" Puss repeated.

                "Me? You two puddles of bilge rat stew dare to ask your commanding officer what he be doing?! I tells you what I'm doing! I'm seeking out them land lubbers who I made the deal with and then seekin out this so called "Other Jack"! And afterward I'm splitting you two in half and feeding you to the sharks! Stop asking questions and get to work you lousy seadogs! Yarr!" Kraken shouted.

                Octo was shaking. "Aye aye captain."

                The crew of rutty pirates gave a cheery Aye aye. They loved their captain and they're captain… well he looked out for them to say the least. The forces split up. Octo and Puss brought their men into the city and began pillaging the local shops and homes. King's forces descended into the city as well, fighting off the police. The pirate ship still fired its enormous black cannons into the gray mists. The air was filled with fire and smoke. And that's the way Captain Ebenezer Kraken liked it.

                ** *

                It was a hill to say the least. The street ran upwards at an uncomfortable angle. The buildings by the street looked like a picket fence, as one was higher than the other as they went up. Snow was falling on the street. Cannon shots had resounded throughout the city for a couple of hours. Overturned horseless carriages sat burning on the sidewalks. The fighting had moved to a different street, and no was happier than Galuda when his crew arrived at the top of the empty street. Charlemagne Street it was called, named after the original hero of the Francs, Charlemagne. How ironic it was that his street was burning. Galuda didn't catch onto the irony. He didn't know who Charlemagne was and honestly didn't care. He and his group started racing down the hill, trying to find an entrance to the catacombs before meeting up with Monsieur Abondues or his cronies. Kraken was at the bottom of the hill glancing up.

                "Kraken!" Falcon shouted as they rounded an upside down carriage that was missing it's horses and driver.

                "That's Captain Kraken to you ye scum bottomed barnacle face! Yarr!" Kraken pointed his antique hand cannon at the aviator.

                "Where's your men Captain?" Rouge asked.

                Kraken pointed to his temple with the gun. "Don't need them. I can take on any man or beast by my loneself self! Something to prove to the boys, yarr."

                Galuda looked to Falcon as if trying to confirm this. Falcon only shrugged his shoulders.

                "So where be this horrid seagull brain killer, yarr?" Kraken asked.

                "Most likely underground in the place of many graves." Galuda replied.

                "Want to try running that past an old seadog, yarr?" Kraken scratched his big red nose.

                "The catacombs are where Accel is! Other Jack there too, I'm sure!" Jack said in his unique voice.

                Kraken stared at Jack for a moment. "And you say the thing looks like him? It'll be apiece of bisquit. Aharharhar yarr!"

                "Well we can't just stand here! Jack, which way now?" Rouge asked.

                Jack sniffed the cold snowy air. He coughed as the smoke filtered through his bandages. "The cathedral! There's an entrance there!"

                "I don't think the clergy is going to let us waltz right in there." Rouge said.

                "I don't know much about Eastern religions, but I think this attack should give us as advantage." Galuda stated.

                "Right-O my friend! To the bally flippin church! Kraken, you'd best join up with us!" Falcon snapped his fingers.

                "That's Captain to you landlubber! Forget it one more time and you'll be walking around without a head." Kraken snapped.

                Falcon, Galuda, Rouge, Jack, and now Kraken raced off down the abandoned street towards the Cathedral of St. Joan in the fire and snow…

** *

                The cathedral was huge but also completely empty. The church stood untouched. The five ran in, Jack in the lead.

                "Jack, this place is enormous? Where to now?" Rouge asked.

                Jack's eye narrowed. "Behind the altar."

                The group ran up to the altar, which hung before a large marble statue of Jesus Christ crucified upon the cross. Falcon looked up to it.

                "Oh Lord Jesus Christ, don't let us screw up." Falcon prayed.

                Galuda lifted a large stone slab from the ground. A stairway ran down into the dark. Surprisingly torches were lit…

** *


	22. XXII

                The cathedral was quiet, empty, devoid of all life save five creatures on a mission. The snow was falling outside. Galuda lifted the stone panel behind the altar, revealing a passageway into the forgotten catacombs. But most surprising was the fact that torches were lit along the walls.

"Well, that's odd." Falcon remarked.

"Could Accel have exited?" Rouge pondered. "Someone had to light these torches."

"No, he is still within the place of many graves, I am quite sure!" Jack shook his head.

Kraken pushed aside the four standing in front and started down the stairs. "I don't care if Dante himself blazed through these halls, arr! We have a destination to embark to, yarr!"

"Dante?" Rouge tilted her pretty face.

"No time 'Ms. Mohammed is my prophet'. The captain's got a point. No point in sitting here all bloody day." Falcon answered.

Falcon, Galuda, and Jack started down the stairs after Kraken. Rouge's face was annoyed. "Hey, I don't go around making jest of your Jesus do I?"

"Of coarse not." Replied Falcon. "That would be just rude."

Rouge let out a growl and followed after. Kraken stopped in his tracks.

"Ar, we need a proper formation. Where's the navigator? Yarr." Kraken ordered. Jack slinked to the front. Kraken smiled, revealing his many missing teeth. "Arr, next we needs a powerful type, I presume you'll do the bit." He poked Falcon in the chest. "Next s the Captain, which is myself, arr." Kraken glanced at Rouge. "Ain't you a pretty missy? This ain't a picnic. What can you do, and if it taint anything useful than just go back upstairs. Yarr."

Rouge lit a small flame in her palm, lighting her features. She was not very happy. "I can do several things. But would you prefer medium, rare, or well-done?"

Kraken grinned. "That will be useful enough. You stand be'ind myself, arg. Galuda stand in the back, protect us from the rear. I just hope you 'avent weakened in the time between our fight and now, hehehehehe, yarr."

Galuda frowned. "I have only gained strength."

Falcon tapped the old pirate on the shoulder. "I dunno Cap'n, but I think you're missing a bloomin piece of information. You see, I'm the leader of this bunch and I give the orders."

Kraken eyed the Brit coldly. "Not anymore boy. I'm the captain of this ship, arg, so you do what I says or I slits yer throat. Do you hear me son, yarr?"

"We really don't have time for this. Falcon, let the Captain lead, he seems to know what he's doing. Jack, you have a trail from Accel?" Rouge asked.

Jack crawled down the steps a bit. His red went back and forth, locking on to some invisible trail. After a moment, Jack laughed.

"I do belive he's got a whiff of something alright." Falcon commented.

"Well don't just stand there boy! Lead you dog, yarr!" Kraken screeched.

The team of five went running down, down, down…

** *

It was dark. Not pitch black so to say, but the amount of light was far from satisfying. The air was damp and smell of smoke and fish. Oh how good that smell was. Ayame sat up and neatly placed the blankets that were resting upon her to the side. She was in some kind of old stone tunnel. Torches lit the wall, revealing a sandy brownish stone color. The old fisherman from before was sitting near by, roasting his catch over an open flame. The Frenchman noticed Ayame had wakened. He turned to her and smiled.

"I see you are awake. Do you feel cold?" The man asked.

"Not really, I'm feeling fine… thank you kind sir for rescuing me…" Ayame bowed her head.

"Ah think nothing of it madam. What is your name, young un?" The man asked. "Oh, how rude of me, would you like some of this fish? You must be starving."

Ayame instantly leaped over to the fire. She took the fish and began gobbling it as if there was not to be a tomorrow. The man raised an eyebrow.

"It looks as if you haven't eaten in days. Well try not to go too hard on the stock, it's what I've got to live on for who knows how long…" the man picked at the fire with a stick.

Ayame slowed her chewing and took a look around. Some ancient labyrinth, decorated with symbols she had never seen before. It was different from anything she had seen. "My name is Ayame Uematsu, pleased to meet you. …Where exactly are we Mr…?"

"Mr. Alexander Ashford at your service. This is the Manches Catacombs, an expansive crypt that runs below the city above. It is where the clergy used to bury their dead, but now it is all forgotten. There are many entrances and exits through this subterranean labyrinth, but you are probably wondering what you are doing down here. Early this morning, when the clergy were still a slumber, I sneaked into the entrance behind the altar at St. Joan's Cathedral. I lit the torches so I could find my way back, for you see it is quite easy to become lost down here. I keep my little boat down here, near a sloping exit that leads out to the bay. The best fishing is down here, and the piers require a payment. I am an old poor man so I can be very thrifty I beg your pardon. But now pirates have taken the city prisoner. I fled the sea once their galleon pulled in and I took you with me. I didn't wish to leave you abandoned and helpless in a battlefield." The old man, Ashford, explained.

"…And you plan on staying down here until the pirates leave?" Ayame inquired.

"That is my plan. It is not safe to go out of doors this day. Such fiends, no one has seen a pirate like that since the end of the eighteenth century, nearly a hundred years gone. …First the killings and now pirates... sometimes I think that God has a wicked sense of humor…" Ashford said.

Ayame's face surprisingly turned into a smile. She jumped up and grabbed Mr. Ashford's hand. "Mr. Ashford, this has to be the King Octopus! Only Ebenezer Kraken would be fool enough to land an attack on a western country with an ancient vessel! That means that my friends are back! The pirates are here to help us stop the serial killer!"

Mr. Ashford shook his head. "I think that cold water has gotten to your head Miss Ayame. They're up there battling the police and destroying anything they can. Thank God that no one has been killed as of yet."

"I'll prove it to you! I'll go find my friends and they'll tell you it's true!" Ayame laughed. For the first time in a long time, Ayame had hope. Her love, Accel, might have met up with the others. It had been a horrid, wretched trip, but things were looking better.

"I really wish you wouldn't go. I think it's best to stay put right now." Ashford objected.

"I have to Mr. Ashford. My friends are out there! I'll be back for you as soon as I can!" Ayame replied.

Mr. Ashford's eyes looked at her sorrowfully. He turned away after a few minutes and sighed. "Follow the torches. They'll lead you to the altar entrance."

Ayame stood still for a moment. The old man's look was pitiful. She didn't want to leave him, but she had to. She patted his back and moved on through the tunnel.

** *

Wet. So encompassing, this water. Cold, oh so cold. Drip, drip, drip. The only sounds that presented themselves inside this dark wet chamber. And yet the resident of this tomb had not paid token to such items of description. The setting meant nothing to the participant of this room. The half flooded stone floor, the four or so feet of cold water above. The arched ceiling with clumps of spider's web above even that. The water's shadows played along the wall and ceilings, dancing in a show of light, the only light, within these walls. But the trespasser did not care. The trespasser eyes were red, his hands cold, and his heart heavy. Drip, drip, drip endlessly into the hours. Wading constantly through cold water did John pass. John Accel did pass, searching oh so ever searching for the blood of his prey.

{{"Johnny!"}} A feminine voice called through his mind. It wasn't Ayame's I assure you. The voice came from deep within Accel's subconscious. Accel closed his eyes and let himself drift to a time far away…

** *

The grass was green on a blue day. A breeze blew through, causing the white sheets on the clothesline to promenade. A little cottage stood on a hill, dressed in old wood and antique metal. A little boy sat on a wooden stump, whittling a figure out of a small piece of wood. He was adorned in denim overalls and a loose white shirt. His hair was as blonde as any canary feather ever was and his eyes as blue as the sky. His feet were bare, swinging back and forth. The road was dry and dusty, curving back and forth from the cottage down the hill and through the endless plains such as a snake would.

CLIP CLOP CLIP CLOP. The sounds of a horse's four shoes echoed from the road below. The small boy stopped his whittling for a moment and looked down the road. A wagon was pulling up the hill, pulled by one horse. On the front of the wagon was a middle-aged man in a white button up shirt and dark brown overalls. His moustache hid his mouth as he drove the horse forward with the occasional "ha" and "giddy up".

"Johnny!"  The voice called. It was John Accel's sister and the man, his father, returning from a trip from the north. The Texas Ranch seemed to be happier with them back, especially the young girl's presence. She had a pretty young face, though much older than that of Accel's. Her hair fell to her shoulders in a straight manner. Her hair was blonde as her eyes were as green as jade. She waved enthusiastically as the wagon drew nearer. Obviously these two siblings had been separated for some time. John ran over to the wagon.

"So what's the city like Jane?" John asked eagerly.

"Still under Yankee control. Damned war ended five years ago and they still have us under they're thumbs." Their father shouted. He grabbed his flask and took a swig.

Jane frowned. "Papa says that some carpetbaggers are coming to look at the ranch…"

"Carpetbaggers?" John repeated. "That doesn't sound like a nice thing papa."

Their father drove the wagon to the cottage door and hopped off. A woman in her middle age stepped out, rubbing a cast iron pot with a cloth. "Welcome back Jed."

"I'm not in the mood Martha. Damned carpetbaggers say there's no other way out…" He took a swig of his flask again.

"You've been out for nearly a month now Jed, you weren't able to find at least one bank?" The mother asked.

"All of them are controlled by damn yanks. I won't deal with Yankee soldiers."

"Jed, I-I know that you feel bad about losing the war, but, well, you've got a family to take care of! We can't sell the farm! You'll just have to try dealing with the Yankees at the bank!"

"Damnit woman! Don't you tell me what to do! Jed Accel doesn't deal with the enemy, especially after he burned our crops, stole our slaves, and oppressed our states rights! They slaughtered half of my goddamned family! Four of my brothers at Shilo all dead!"

Martha looked at the two children, who were watching with curious and scared eyes. She turned to Jed and clasped the flagon. She smelt it. "We needn't talk this way in front of the children Jed. We'll talk inside."

The two adults went inside and closed the door. Johnny could hear shouts and anger, fits and tantrums, all screaming back and forth. He turned to his sister, whom had retreated to the stump, far away from the cabin's archaic walls.

"What are they talkin' bout Jane?" Johnny asked, confused.

The preteen girl put her arm around her child brother. "They is talkin bout nothin' Johnny. Jus' havin a screamin' contest. Is all."

"Wow, Momma's real good at it." Johnny smiled. Jane continued to frown.

"…Don't tell no one I told you this, but Poppa says we gotta sell the farm." Jane whispered in a sorrowful voice.

"What? Why?" Johnney was shocked.

"He says that we owe so much money thanks to the war that we can't repay."

"Then where are we going to go?" Accel asked.

"I don't know, but remember this Johnny Accel, I'll always be there when you need me." Jane hugged her brother.

It was only an hour later that John would leave that farm for good. He left with his mother in a rush, not having a clue of what was going on. With tears in his eyes, he waved good-bye as the horse and wagon raced off into the dusty plain. He never saw Jane afterwards, or his father…

** *

Accel opened his eyes, the memories submerging back into his mind. He lifted himself out of the cold water. "…First they took away Jane and now they take Ayame… No! Not again! I will not lose another!"

Accel waded through the stream into the night…

** *

The tunnel broke apart. It was now a "T" rather than a line. Jack stopped, causing a traffic jam for the four behind. He narrowed his eye and shook his head.

"Well ol' chap, wots with the blinkin stop?" Falcon asked.

"I smell a familiar scent. But it cannot be…" Jack wondered.

"Is it that Other Jack, yarr?" Kraken pulled back the hammer of his hand cannon.

"No… it's-" Jack began.

Following the torches, Ayame ran through the tunnel before she reached an intersection. She raced until she almost met the far wall. To her left were the shocked looks of her friends. They all stared wide eyes, as if they had seen a specter appear before them.

"Falcon! Rouge! Jack! Galuda! Oh it's you! It's really you!" Ayame leaped over and hugged them.

"Ayame?! You're alive?!" Rouge asked shocked.

"Just barley, thanks to some brave people!" Ayame replied.

"But I saw Other Jack bury his dagger into your back!" Jack couldn't believe his eye.

"Oh Jack, I'm glad you made it! Accel …used the power stone …to bring me …back." Ayame explained.

"So wench, your this Ayame girl? Yarr?" Kraken asked.

Ayame bowed. "Yes, and you are Kraken?"

"Captain Kraken to you land lubber! Yarr." Kraken tipped his hat.

Ayame peered around the line. "…Accel… isn't with you?!"

Rouge shook her head and placed her hands on her shoulders. "I'm afraid not honey. He's somewhere down here searching for Other Jack."

Ayame looked at the stone floor. "Other Jack… We have to find Accel!"

Galuda smiled. "It is good to have you back Ms. Ayame."

"As it's good to be back, everyone!" Ayame smiled.

"Well, this happy occasion marks our team deaths back to zero. Let's just try to keep it that way" Falcon winked.

** *


	23. XXIII

Jack led the ever-growing team down through the pits. Following Mr. Cardin was a Mr. Falcon, followed by the newly acquired Ms. Uematsu, the Captain Kraken, a Ms. Nehbandan, and a Mr. Galuda. A strange sense of urgency flowed through everyone's minds, almost as if the ancient catacombs would engulf their friend if they didn't make it in time. The catacombs were an infinite honeycomb of long pointless stretches and abrupt dead ends. Parts were submerged under icy water while others had collapsed on themselves. Jack's keen nostrils had locked on to the man known as Accel. He was dragging the crew deeper into the pit.

"Arg, this is getting tiring rather fast ye seagull brained navigator! Where be the Other Jack, yarr?!" Kraken complained.

"Accel is coming up close! I can feel it!" Jack laughed.

"He's still alive! I'm so glad that he wasn't killed." Ayame stated.

"Less talk and more action! Come on folks, these halls aren't just going to give him to us!" Falcon shouted.

Just then the floor right underneath Falcon's boot splintered into a thousand fragments and fell away into the dark below. Needless to say, Falcon is bound to the laws of gravity just as everything else. Falcon started to fall with a wail of surprise, but was soon caught by Kraken.

"What ever you do, don't let go!" Falcon pleaded.

"Will you shut up boy! You're disturbing me concentration! Yarr!" Kraken replied. The remaining floor broke underneath Kraken's straining weight, causing the pirate captain to drop as well. Rouge, Ayame, and Galuda all caught hold.

"Good lord Kraken! What do you eat?!" Rouge asked as the three tied to bring up the two.

The floor crumbled away as it engulfed the next member. Ayame and Rouge both fell into the pit. Galuda, using all of his might, was the only thing holding the four from the darkness below. Veins appeared in Galuda giant muscles as he attempted to pull the cargo out. Cracks were forming onto the floor beneath him. Jack looked to the scent trail and back.

Jack narrowed his eye and turned towards Galuda. With a leap of insanity, Jack plunged into the dark hole below. The cracks decimated the floor beneath Galuda, causing all of the team to plunge into the cold depths below.

** *

SPLASH! This was not the sound the four members of Julia's crew had expected to hear. Torch light from the hall above revealed this to be a half submerged hallway. The shadows of the water were playing against the dark walls and ceiling. Ancient crates drifted in the underground river. Jack was neatly sitting upon one as the team gathered their bearings.

"Jesus Christ!" Falcon swore as he rubbed the back of his blonde head. "Where the hell are we?"

Kraken attempted to squeeze water out of his blue buccaneers coat, but found it fruitless. He snarled. "Off track I'd presume. Yarr."

Rouge looked at the ceiling. It was about twenty feet up. A tall hall indeed. She looked over to Ayame, who was spitting out the cold water. "Ayame, do you think you could get back up there"

Ayame looked at the hole and did some thinking. After a bit of analyzing she came to a conclusion. "It's too high. There's nothing to jump off either."

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Jack laughed from his cube boat. The others looked to him.

"I see nothing amusing about this." Galuda reported.

"Oh you do not see?! We are even closer than before! Look and see for your self! Ahahahahaha!" Jack pointed to the bottom of the dark stream. On the stone floor were six shells.

"Ah! Accel's bullets!" Ayame immediately plunged into the icy water to retrieve the momentos.

"What happened? Was their a fight?" Rouge asked.

"Beats me. It is a good clue to Other Jack's position. He's probably down here." Falcon concluded.

"Well then you scurvy land lubbers, lets get moving Arr! Navigator, get back on the trail! Yarr!" Kraken commanded.

Jack splashed into the stream again. He sniffed the air, trying to lock on to a familiar scent. He smiled and started to trudge up the tunnel. The others made pursuit.

** *

The water clogged canal eventually made into a large, circular room. Spherical is more a proper description, believe you me. The canal was one of eight that lead into the sides of a great hollowed out sphere. The water from all eight cascaded to the very bottom of the enormous spherical room, draining through a large duct at the bottom. Light emanated in through the top, where some sort of unknown source was radiating an amber colored light. Spanning the diameter was a circular platform, chained to the sides of the sphere by very large iron links, thicker than any man's body ever could be. About forty feet was the distance between the platforms edge and the crew's position at the end of the canal. An old rope bridge was hanging from the platform side. The connection had been severed at the near end. This was certainly an obstacle.

Falcon whistled. "Now isn't that the sight."

"How the hell could medieval age Christians build such a thing?!" Rouge was lost. "Medieval Arabs, sure. We had the mathematical sills, but…"

Kraken gazed across, and then down. It was a long way down. "You sure he's in here? Yarr?"

Jack jumped onto the chain and clambered about till he was on all fours like a web crawling spider. "I am quite sure. Jack is positive."

Galuda nervously glanced at the bottom in the dark hole. "L-looks like a cave is down there…"

"Yea, the whole French country is full of em. Wouldn't surprise me." Falcon said.

"How about getting across?" Ayame interrupted. "If Jack runs along that chain and I this one, we can pull the bridge across. It's the only way."

"Please. I don't wish to walk across that thin link." Galuda advised.

Ayame stepped upon her chain and smiled back, holding up two fingers for victory. "Be right back."

Jack nodded in recognition. The two agility masters darted off across the tiny chain bridges. Underneath their weights the two started to sway back and forth. Ayame had to catch her self and regain balance several times as the chains rocked to and fro. Jack, on all fours, wasn't affected by this problem and promptly sped across the iron links. Jack reached the platform and stood back on his rear legs. The platform was light, swaying a fraction of an inch now that there was some weight upon it's flat surface. As Ayame strove to catch up, Jack wondered in towards the circle's center.

Accel's scent was right upon him! Jack quickly turned around and looked upward. His red eye caught it too late. Leaping down as a silhouette from the amber light, Accel gracefully and powerfully fell. The American landed a crushing blow to the leper, causing Jack to go spiraling back towards the chains. The blow was so powerful that Jack's dagger flew one way, towards Ayame's chain, and his locket flew another, towards the opposite end of the sphere. Both landed on the platform.

"Accel!" Ayame shouted as she finally reached the platform.

"Accel!" The other's repeated with hopeful expressions. Kraken was surprised.

Accel paid no heed to his name being called. His breaths were ragged and his eyes red from lack of sleep. Grinning a wicked grin, Accel walked towards Jack, his back at Ayame.

"Accel! It's me! Ayame!" Ayame ran to catch up with her love. Accel only continued walking towards Jack. Jack stood up, his eye searching for his dagger.

"What the bloody Mary and Jesus is he doing?" Falcon said in anger.

"He- He's not himself." Rouge answered.

"Well that's just great! We're stuck here unless they can snap that cowboy out of it! Yarr." Kraken said with little patience and little regard for his far comrades.

Galuda narrowed his brow in speculation.

"Accel! Stop it! It's me Ayame! C'mon!" Ayame pulled on Accel's shoulders, but Accel did not respond. The only audible piece coming from Accel was his ragged breaths.

Jack caught sight of his weapon, but Accel was in the way. The platform was defiantly wide enough for a pass around. Accel had gained strength in the week of being underground, being hunted. Jack risked it. Jack started to run past Accel in a wide skirt, but Accel's speed had improved. He immediately caught up to Jack and sent him a powerful kick. Jack kneeled over, blood dripping from his bandaged lip.

"Quit it Accel! We're your friends! That's Jack, not Other Jack! Stop it now!" Ayame ran up to Accel.

Accel kicked the kneeling Jack again. A great smile showing on the Westerners face. Ayame was sobbing.

"Is there any other way over there?" Galuda asked the three on his side.

"No. Accel's too bust kicking the crap out of Jack for them to send over the bridge. Damn!" Falcon answered.

"We just can't let him continue! He'll kill Jack!" Rouge reported.

Jack was getting near the edge of the platform. Accel was slowly following. The sixteen chain links and the eight canals on the side were all witness to the event. Accel sent a punch into Jack's face. Ayame was openly crying.

Ayame then had an idea. Her love for Accel was her true wish, and the power stone had granted it. Then there was one ray of hope left. Ayame grabbed Accel by the shoulder, spun him around with all of her might, and kissed him as deeply as she could, with all the passion she could muster.

Accel's body was at first rigid and defiant, but then became relaxed and welcoming. Ayame could recognize that her lover had returned. Jack slinked away from the platform's edge, towards the link to grab his dagger. Ayame let her lips part from Accel's. His eyes were blue; friendly. He had returned.

"Accel…" Ayame smiled.

"Ayame. You have no clue how good it is to see you again.  Truly thought I had lost you…" Accel replied.

"You'll never lose me. Never." Ayame responded.

"HEY!" Rouge's voice shouted to them. The two turned toward the respective canal.

"QUIT MAKING OUT AND SEND THE BRIDGE OVER! BLIMEY!" Falcon shouted. He was soon greeted by an elbow in the ribs from Rouge.

Ayame turned back to Accel and smiled. He smiled back. She ran back, her hand the last thing to leave Accel. Jack was sitting upon the link, rubbing his side with his dagger free hand.

"Are you O.K Jack?" Ayame asked. Her tears had disappeared. It made Jack happy to know she had cried for him.

"Yes. Jack is O.K. Though he wouldn't want to do that again." Jack said. He picked up one end of the bridge. Ayame picked up the other. With a nod, the two ran the bridge back to the canal. Galuda and Kraken were sure to secure it tightly. Galuda was very sure about that.

The six walked back to the platform as the bridge groaned underneath their weight. Galuda was very happy to meet the platform's surface.

"I'm sorry about that. I don't know what came over me." Accel apologized.

"You should be sorry. You almost killed Jack you bastard." Falcon shouted. "Though if Jack is willing to let it slide, then so will I."

Jack nodded. "Jack needs to keep his friends…"

"Thanks." Accel replied.

"Arr, so you're the Accel sea dog there talking about eh? Where's this Other Jack?" Kraken interrupted.

"That can wait a few minutes! Accel, are you alright?" Rouge asked.

"Yea I'm good. I was just so struck with Ayame's supposed death that I lost control…" Accel answered.

"One should always be in control of one's emotions. That is the key." Galuda offered.

"Back to the task at hand. Have you seen any sign of Other Jack?" Falcon asked.

"I don't know. It's been so long since I've been able to think straight." Accel answered.

"Ah Bloody Hell. Can this wild goose chase get any worse, yarr?" Kraken turned his back on Accel.

"This seems to be the center of the catacombs. I don't think we can go any deeper than this without crossing the river Styx." Falcon concluded.

"Other Jack has to be here! I know it!" Rouge affirmed.

Jack's thought's left the arguing group. He looked across the tan sphere. Then an oddity appeared. In a canal not of there own was a light. A red light.

"Over there." Jack simply said. The others stopped their argument as they peered into the canal. The red light was gone.

"What's over there?" Ayame asked Jack.

"He." Jack simply answered.

The sounds of chains rattling screamed into the sphere. Kraken turned his ugly face towards it. Behind them sprinting across the chain link was non other than Other Jack.

"So that be Other Jack eh? Aharharhar, this should be splendid, yarr." Kraken pulled back the hammer on his hand cannon.

The six remaining troops pulled back towards the outer rim. Accel looked at Ayame, who was paralyzed in fear. "Ayame, it's going to be O.K. the immortal you summoned is here, at least I think it is."

"That's right!" Falcon gleefully stated. "This is it! Kraken, go!"

Other Jack leaped into the air, flipping twice before landing on the platform. Kraken narrowed his eyebrows. "Come and get me you lily livered bastard! Yarr!"

"Ahahahaha! Your power is strong. I can feel it! Jack is going to have fun with you! Hahahahaha!" Other Jack said in his high-pitched voice. He stepped forward, coated in the amber light that fell such as golden rain around him.

Then he stopped.

Kraken waited impatiently. Falcon, Galuda, Rouge, Accel, Ayame, and Jack were eagerly anticipating the move. The suspense was so thick that it could be cut with a knife. If this was the final battle, why had Other Jack stopped?

Other Jack picked up his boot slowly. He had stepped on something. On the platform, where his shoe was once, was the locket. Jacks locket.

Other Jack's eye turned from insanity to a mystified calm. Seeming to forget all about the creatures before him. Other Jack reached down and gently picked up the locket and opened it's tiny golden hinge. The old photograph of the mysterious beautiful maiden with the brilliant jewel was waiting inside. Other Jack just stood still and stared at the photograph….

** *


	24. XXIV

The underground sphere was absolutely still. Within its hallowed chambers, between the eight falling rivers, above the great endless pit, eight figures stood tense upon a platform held by chains of yore. Captain Ebenezer Kraken stood impatiently, waiting for his adversary, the infamous Other Jack, to make a move. Galuda, Rouge, Falcon, Ayame, and Accel all watched with mixed feelings. Jack looked as if he had been stabbed in the heart. For in the wretched palm of his evil clone was the locket. His locket. The only way he could connect to his past.

Other Jack's eye was trembling. The mysterious woman and the mysterious jewel together made a black and white photograph inside the tiny contraption. The photo must have hit a vital string in Other Jack's persona.

"The locket! Give it to me!" Jack hissed as he drew himself closer.

Other Jack looked at Jack approaching. "Nay, 'tis my mother. I would never dreamed of giving this to you!"

Everyone gave a questioned look of surprise. All save Kraken, who simply responded with the crossing of his arms. Jack's eye became wide with several emotions.

"How do you know it's his mother?! Jack doesn't know it, how should you?!" Ayame shouted behind Accel's back.

"It is not HIS mother! It is my mother! I recognize it from my memory!" Other Jack said. His eye looked back at the photograph. "Mother… Oh Mother! Where have you gone?!"

"All of Other Jack's attributes are Jacks a dozen fold. Other Jack's memory has probably opened up with the increase of his knowledge." Galuda stated.

"All of this, Mother, all of this was for you!" Other Jack held the locket up high and began to scream to it. "Let no woman be prettier than you, let no jewel out shine your own! Can't you see what I am doing Mother?!"

Jack drew backwards. Were his afflictions with women and jewels really due to his love for his lost mother? Jack became lost in his thoughts. So much had suddenly arisen. Where was his Mother now? Did she ever love Jack? Why did she leave him? Where had he come from? So many questions like these ran through Jack's head at once.

"This is getting pretty crazy…" Falcon admitted.

"Still, we have a priority to fulfill. Other Jack must be stopped to ensure the safety of Manches and it's citizens." Rouge reminded everybody.

"Arr, I'm getting impatient here Limey boy. We fight? Yarr?" Kraken turned and asked second in command.

"Wait a minute Captain…" Falcon replied.

Ayame looked over to Jack, who was on his knees, face to the floor. She stepped over through the falling amber light and tapped him on the back. "Jack, are you alright? What's the matter?"

Jack looked up at Ayame's face. "Jack… doesn't know anything… Why has my mother left me to die in bandages? Why?"

Ayame stood puzzled. After a moment, she stood up and yelled to the center of the platform. "You! Your memory seems to be serving you! What happened to Jack's mother?! Why'd she leave Jack to die in the streets?"

Other Jack clutched the locket to his chest instantly, focusing his red eye on Ayame, his voice growing deeper and more menacing. "MY mother. MY mother! That creature is an imposter! A weak thing could never be my self! …I won't tell you. You escaped my trap! You left me all alone out there, in the dark corridors above! I… I warned you not to go, but you went anyways!"

Accel stepped ahead of Ayame. "Ayame, what's he talking about?"

"I don't know! I-" Just then Ayame's eyes grew wide as her pupils shrank. The sudden thought of whatever it was happened to be so shocking that Ayame could not speak.

"Ayame?! What's going on?! Are you alright?" Accel grabbed Ayame's shoulders.

"His name isn't Jack." Ayame whispered.

"Of coarse it is! He's Jack's clone!" Falcon interrupted.

"The wench is right. My name is not Jack! And if he were truly my clone-" Other Jack pointed to Jack. "-Neither would his."

"Then who are you?" Galuda asked.

"Arr I'm getting pretty tired of this mind game swabbelin'!" Kraken complained.

Other Jack stood straight up. Slowly he raised his hands to his face and closed his eye. Slowly, ever so slowly, he pulled off the bandages around his face. To say the rest of the creatures there to witness this were shocked is an understatement. The bandages from the face and only the face hung loose around his neck. The face of Other Jack was somewhat narrow with thin white eyebrows and a short white beard and moustache. The skin was pale and the lines and creases clearly visible. His right eye was now blue, same as the other. His hair was slowly receding as well. It was the face of Mr. Alexander Ashford.

"Mister Ashford?!" Ayame foretold.

"Yes, that is my name. Alexander Ashford, of the noble house of Ashford! MY mother was the most important figure of all France!" Other Jack or Alexander told.

"The house of Ashford? That house fell under in the last revolution over twenty years ago!" Falcon explained.

"Wrong! The name of Ashford still lives! My mother shall have her name etched on every brick and every stone through out all of France! I am the Ashford legacy! None shall surpass the beauty and supremacy of my mother Eleanor Ashford!" Alexander growled.

"Alexander! If this Jack creature here is your clone, then why does he have black hair and you have white?" Rouge asked.

"He is not my clone! There is no other that rivals me! Hehehehehehehe!" Alexander replied with a laugh.

"Once again the power stone. It must have also increased his age." Galuda replied.

"Enough talk! It's time to –hehehehehe- carry out the Ashford legacy! All whom oppose must perish! Hohahahaha!" Alexander pulled his daggers from their coat pockets. 

"Your legacy ends here lad!" Kraken shouted.

Alexander quickly wrapped his face again, inviting Kraken to come at him with a smiling eye. Kraken took the challenge. As the others pulled to the rim, Kraken pulled the trigger of his antique hand cannon. With a shot loud enough to deafen church bells, the lead ball flew through the amber air towards Alexander's green coat. Amazingly, Alexander pulled himself to the side fast enough to dodge. To the spectators it seemed as Alexander's body was in a hundred places at once. Kraken spat and frowned.

"Bullets aren't going to work! Tried it already!" Accel shouted.

"Shut your hole before I put you in one boy! I know what I'm doing!" Kraken yelled from the ring.

"Yes, you better listen to your mortal friend! Heehehehehe!" Alexander chuckled evilly.

Kraken denied Accel's advice outwardly, but inside he accepted it. He shoved the hand cannon into its holster and darted for Alexander. His speed was so immense that even Falcon had a hard time keeping track of him. Kraken was attempting a bull rush. Alexander's red eye seemed surprise by the speed of the Captain, but it did not last long. Alexander dropped to the ground and kicked the oncoming Kraken with such a powerful force that Kraken was sent flying towards the rim.

"Kraken!" Rouge gasped.

Alexander contorted his body to walk on all fours, daggers still in hands. There was much cracking and popping until he seemed pleased. In a mad scurry, the insect like movements was sending Alexander rocketing towards his downed prey.

Kraken smiled.

Alexander came right over Kraken, daggers raised to kill. Using surprise, Kraken shot a fist upward, striking a massive upper cut against his foe. Alexander stepped back on his hind legs, shaken by the blow. Kraken leaped back up, sending a volley of blows into Alexander's wrapped face. The platform began to shake wildly.

Galuda had to shout over the sound of the blows. "We should get off this thing!"

Falcon and Accel turned to him and each nodded. The five began to run for the bridge, which Jack and Ayame pulled earlier. Ayame looked behind her. Jack was still on the platform! She ran back to the bandaged creature that still sat on his knees.

"Jack! We have to get moving!" Ayame pulled on his green shoulder.

"Who… Who am I?" Jack asked.

"Now's not the time!" Ayame called.

"I… I don't know who I am? Jack is not my name!" Jack said in a hush.

Ayame sat on her haunches in front of Jack and placed his chin in her hand. "You will always be Jack as long as you think you are Jack! We may not know the whole history, but you are not him! You are yourself, Jack, and you don't have to become him!"

"…You are right… I am Jack Cardin! Hehehehe! Let the world know that I am Jack!" Jack laughed.

"Right, you can tell the world later! Right now we have to get off this platform before we get killed!" Ayame smiled.

"Ayame! Hurry up!" Accel shouted from across the bridge.

The two got up and ran across the bridge. In a matter of seconds Kraken was sent spiraling into the chain link that held the bridge, smashing the link. The platform wobbled uncomfortably. Alexander leaped high into the amber light and descending with a stomp kick to Kraken's chest. Kraken coughed up blood as the foot smashed into his ribs.

"Haha! You are no threat to my legacy!" Alexander taunted.

Kraken didn't reply. He grabbed Alexander's leg and swung it off of him, sending Alexander crashing into another chain link, demolishing it.

The pirate lord raised himself off the ground and spat out an ugly tooth. Alexander did the same, wiping blood off his brow. The two peered at each other, trying to come up with some way of finishing the other off. After a moment, Alexander licked his dagger's blade. He had an idea.

A rush of energy rushed in every direction like a burst of wind from Alexander's laughing body. His arms seemed to wave in the wind like paper. The daggers in his hands began to turn faster and faster.

"You think you can kill off me wit dem toys ye got ders? Aharharhar, 'tis to laugh! Yarr!" Kraken grinned.

"Heheehhe! I will be the one laughing over your dead body! Hehehehe!" Alexander replied.

Alexander's arm flung across the distance as a yo-yo would, the dagger spinning in hand incredibly fast. Kraken leaped out of the way just in the nick of time. The elastic arm went spiraling into a third chain link, sawing it in half. Kraken dodged a second time as the arm came back in a deadly snap, going behind Alexander and crashing a fourth chain. The platform wobbled in a perilous fashion.

"If they keep at it like this, the platform fall into the pit down there!" Falcon observed.

"Come on Captain!" Rouge barked.

"You are becoming rather irritable." Alexander reported to his enemy.

"Same as you!" Kraken replied.

Alexander spun on the toe of his boot, sending his flailing arms out like a windmill. The two spinning arms flew out in all directions, creating a path of destruction wherever they went. Kraken leaped, bounded, ducked, crawled, and overall dodged the daggers with extreme difficulty, often getting nicked and cut. Chain links fell everywhere as the platform groaned. Kraken finally stood up and let a powerful elbow strike the oncoming arm, sending it flying back to its owner. Kraken frowned.

Kraken ran towards Alexander, arm behind him in an attack position. Alexander leaped over the punch, coming down on Kraken with a slam from his dagger's handle. The pirate didn't seem to understand that he was hit and went on to grab Alexander and smash him into the platforms surface. The woozy bandaged man contorted himself so that his legs bent up and turned to his back. The bent up legs than kicked out with a tremendous blow. Kraken immediately let go. With the cracking and popping of Alexander's body, he put himself back into a normal posture. Kraken stumbled backwards.

"What does it take…"-Kraken wiped his lip. -"To make you die?"

Alexander laughed. "Much more than that I'm afraid! Hehehehehe!"

Kraken looked around. Only five chains were holding the platform up. If he demolished a certain one, the platform would lean at a ridiculous angle and send both of them falling into the pit below. Well, if he could snag onto something he might save himself. Kraken smiled. He liked that idea.

"When will you realize that you can't win?!" Alexander asked.

"When I'm good and dead!" Kraken replied.

After the insult, Kraken immediately set off to the fifth chain. Alexander's blades made chase, spinning at uncontrollable speeds on the ends of Alexander's impossible anatomical arms.

"He's not doing what I think he's doing…" Accel remarked.

"He's going to make the platform tip!" Galuda announced.

"He'll fall! What do we do!?" Ayame yelped.

"There's nothing we can do…" Rouge glanced at her feet.

Jack stepped forward. "Yes there is." He raised his one remaining dagger.

Falcon smiled. "HEY KRAKEN!"

                Jack threw his dagger towards the speeding pirate. Kraken caught it without trouble. "USE IT AS YOUR PITON!" Falcon finished.

                Kraken dropped to the platform, dagger in hand, as Alexander's saw blades buzzed overhead. His stabbed the platform with all his might using the dagger. The dagger was in so tight that it wouldn't budge. Just as it should be. The daggers came back for Kraken, blazing through the platform, as a logger's saw through wood would do. Kraken rolled out of the way just in time. Flipping himself on to his boots, Kraken threw his blue jacket towards Alexander, temporarily blinding him. Using the opportunity, Kraken flung himself into a sidekick at the link, splintering the iron on impact. With the link gone, the platform fell to an almost ninety degree angle. Kraken started sliding back down the platform. The dagger was coming up fast. With lightning reflexes, Kraken caught the handle. He now hung there, hanging onto the dagger's handle.

                "Yes! Good Job Captain!" Ayame shouted.

                "Hallelujah! " Falcon smiled.

                "Wait! Look!" Galuda ordered.

                At the very edge of the platform, two daggers had wedged themselves into the platform, and hanging from them was Alexander. 

                "Kraken! Below you!" Rouge shouted.

                Kraken looked down. Alexander pulled one dagger out and then placed it a little higher. He repeated this with his other dagger. He was climbing up. 

"Shit!" Kraken shouted.

"We have to help him!" Ayame said.

"Aye! What do we got?" Falcon nodded.

** *


	25. XXV

There was a certain aura about this place. A certain aura that was about this mood - about this predicament - that I cannot simply diverge to you in the form of words. It wasn't an aura of conflict or tension, nor of it of a power one dreams of. The aura was not of immortals or of an attempt to save the world. It was an aura of confusion, loneliness, grief, and loss. An aura of uncertainty. An aura about Jack.

Was any of it true? Could any of it be true? Was Jack really the noble heir to the Ashford legacy, part of some great blue blooded family who's influence was untouched before the Third Revolution? If so, then why is he the way he is now? A hideous freak of nature, disguised as a man only by the bandages that constrict him like so many snakes, with no memories or family to fall upon when he hit the dirty streets. Alexander had left out many important parts to a past forgotten, but was Alexander right at all? Jack was so confused.

{Ayame sat on her haunches in front of Jack and placed his chin in her hand. "You will always be Jack as long as you think you are Jack! We may not know the whole history, but you are not him! You are yourself, Jack, and you don't have to become him!"} What Ayame had told Jack before was true. He was himself and nobody else. Jack today, Jack tomorrow, and Jack yesterday. Always Jack Cardin…

"Kraken! Do something!" Rouge cut Jack's thoughts short as she shouted to the pirate hanging by a dagger.

Kraken glanced about, searching for something to use. Alexander was climbing up for him, slowly but surly. Dagger in the wall, dagger out the wall. So on and so forth until Kraken could hardly stand to hear it. The grizzled old sailor looked to his cohorts as if expecting an answer.

Falcon stood with fists clenched, trying to think of something. Galuda stood ready as well. Ayame and Rouge tried to come up with something but both failed to reach any other ideas. Jack watched as the rivers fell into the pit below. Accel had his hands at his holsters.

"God damn! Can't think of a thing!" Accel spat.

"Bloody hell! You're right. What the hell do we do?" Falcon's blue eyes blazed.

"I am stumped as well. If only the chain link was still up!" Galuda frowned. "…Wait! Ayame? Do you still have those pointy metal blades?"

Ayame fished in her pocket. "You mean these shurikens? Yea, I got a few left!"

"Good. Rouge-" Galuda was cut off when Falcon took over.

"Rouge! Can you blaze some fires his way?! We might be able to knock him off!" Falcon grinned.

Rouge smiled. "It'll be my pleasure."

Ayame started taking aim with a shuriken. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Falcon looked to Accel. "You got any bullets in your gun?"

"I got two." Accel checked his rounds.

"Well make them count Tex. All right, everyone! ...GO!" Falcon commanded.

Ayame threw her first shuriken at amazing speeds. The tiny ninja star pierced the air with a silent howl as it struck Alexander's green coat. He did not notice. Rouge summoned a fireball to her palm and let it fly at an incredible volley, blasting Alexander's upper back with a fiery punch. He did not care. Accel fired from his western pistol. He did not flinch.

Alexander continued escalating towards the pirate. Ayame looked to Falcon. "It's not working!"

"Come on people! We just gotta try a little harder!" Falcon replied.

"Let the spirits guide your stars, your fire, and your bullets. Relax and open your mind." Galuda advised.

"Whatever you say Shaman man!" Accel replied.

"And as for you Mr. Rootin-tootin-super shootin-Tex, gimme that!" Falcon swiped the pistol from Accel's grasp.

"Hey! What are you doing! I only have one bullet left!" Accel responded.

"And that's why I'm not going to let you screw this one up!" Falcon aimed at Alexander's escalating body.

"Ready." Rouge said.

"So am I." Ayame closed one eye as she aimed.

"Alright then! Fire!" Falcon said.

Ayame let loose her shuriken, letting it sip through the amber sky. It pierced Alexander's charcoaled back once more.

Alexander let out a grunt of pain.

"Heh. Looks like you're getting weak down there, yarr!" Kraken taunted Alexander.

"The only time I'll be weaker than you is when I'm dead!" Alexander replied in a nasty tongue.

"Looks like we're getting through! We just need to go a bit farther!" Ayame laughed.

"Then let's get Alexander out of the frying pan…" Rouge smiled as both of her palms became engulfed in spheres of flame. "…And into the fire!" Rouge stretched both her arms as far back as she could muster, then launched forward, sending the two fireballs to fly through open space and blast into Alexander, causing the platform to shake uncontrollably. Alexander's eye narrowed and his jaw clenched. Kraken found himself switching arms repeatedly as he tried to hang onto the dagger. The shake did not make it easy, and neither did the blast right below his boot.

"Ha! Soon we'll have him like a toad on a rope!" Falcon smiled.

"Yea, but looks like Krakens having a hard time staying up there. We have to make haste." Galuda stated.

"Right. So Falcon, make the shot count!" Accel eyed Falcon.

"Of coarse it will Accel. After all, I'm the one doing it." Falcon closed one eye as he aimed.

Falcon, being of a prodigious family, often had the time to take up hobbies. Marksmanship happened to be one he took as a boy, firing away at disks and pheasants through adolescence and galloping on horseback through wild foxhunts. He was no train robbing wild cowboy who thought of the gun as a third hand, but Falcon was going to make it count. He knew it.

"Take the shot Falcon!" Ayame pleaded.

"Kraken weakened him enough so that our blows can get in! Now is the time!" Galuda smirked.

Falcon pulled the trigger on the pistol. The bullet came spiraling out of the chamber, flying through the barrel and screaming through the amber light.

Alexander did flinch.

Alexander took the bullet in his lower back. The charcoal black coat held no grounds against the bullet. Crimson eye agape, one hand let go of a dagger.

"Y-you? When hehehehehe when will you realize that the Ashford Legacy is eternal?! Hahahahahaha!" Alexander shouted.

"What the hell is he talking about?" Accel asked.

"He's trying to pull off something, everyone get prepared!" Galuda stated.

"Wait! Where's Jack!?" Rouge called.

"You don't need me… I-I am not worth the time of humans…" A voice whispered into Ayame's ear. She looked around into the channel from whence they came.

"Jack?! Jack! That's not true at all! You are our friend!" Ayame sprinted a ways into the channel, pushing against the cold water. "Listen Jack! We need you! We really do!"

"No you don't. Jack…is a monster! A monster that will only hurt others!" Jack's whisper explained.

"Jack! We are who we make ourselves! This isn't your fault! Don't let others get to you!" Ayame pleaded.

"How can you trust me? I am the one that made him. He is me." Jack said.

"No… no he isn't…" Ayame replied.

"Ayame!" Accel's voice screamed.

Ayame turned towards the sphere. Alexander leaped into the channel from the platform, causing a great shockwave through the tunnel.

"Accel!" Ayame yelled. She started to run back towards the entrance. The fight had begun anew. Jack did not know what action he should take…

**Bring Me To Life - Evanesence**

How can you see into my eyes   
like open doors   
leading you down into my core  
where I've become so numb?   
Without a soul;   
my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold,   
until you find it there and lead it back home.   
  
(Wake me up.)   
Wake me up inside.   
(I can't wake up.)   
Wake me up inside.   
(Save me. )  
Call my name and save me from the dark.   
(Wake me up. )  
Bid my blood to run.   
(I can't wake up. )  
Before I come undone.   
(Save me. )  
Save me from the nothing I've become.  
  
Now that I know what I'm without   
you can't just leave me.   
Breathe into me and make me real.   
Bring me to life.   
[Chorus]   
Bring me to life.   
I've been living a lie/There's nothing inside.   
Bring me to life.   
  
Frozen inside without your touch,   
without your love, darling.   
Only you are the life among the dead.   
  
All of this sight   
I can't believe I couldn't see   
Kept in the dark   
but you were there in front of me   
I've been sleeping a 1000 years it seems.   
I've got to open my eyes to everything.   
Without a thought   
Without a voice   
Without a soul   
Don't let me die here/There must be something more.   
Bring me to life.

[Chorus]   
Bring me to life.   
I've been living a lie/There's nothing inside.  
Bring me to life

Rouge lit a fire in her hands and shoved it into Alexander's chest. Alexander flinched, but did mot fall. With a quick punch, Rouge fell into the water, knocked out.

"Rouge!" Falcon splashed through the water, but Alexander was too quick. Alexander plunged into the current right in front of Falcon.

"None shall stop my legacy!"  Alexander hissed.

"If you think that, you've got another thing coming to you bloke! It's time you left this world alone!" Falcon replied.

Falcon performed a powerful uppercut, sending Alexander smashing through the stone and mortar ceiling. But Alexander did not cease. He fell back down and instantly got back up. Four massive punches in succession brought Falcon into the cold world of unconsciousness.

"What gives you the right to kill? You have none." Galuda stomped towards Alexander.

"My lineage!" Alexander cackled.

Alexander took the first swing. Galuda narrowly dodged to the right, missing the blade by a hair. Galuda gave a crushing jab, causing Alexander to smash into the wall, sending brick and stone into the stream. Blinking, Alexander got back to his feet. He coughed and turned to Galuda. Alexander kneed the Native American's gut and then smashed the back of his head with the dagger. Galuda slipped into darkness.

"Watch out you fools!" Kraken called from his hanging position.

Alexander was heaving with loss of breath. The amber light coming into the dark tunnel behind him created a striking image. Accel placed himself in front of Ayame.

"Hehehe… Now …you… die… for good!" Alexander cried.

"Alexander! Leave my friends alone!" Jack's voice screamed.

From out of the inky blackness Jack emerged, running at full speed. He darted past Accel and Ayame, ramming himself into Alexander.

"You fool! What are you doing?!" Alexander shouted.

"I am not you! I could never have been so hideous as you are!" Jack said.

"You weakling! You could never be me!" Alexander responded.

Summoning an amazing amount of strength, Jack rammed into Alexander again, sending him and himself both hurdling out of the channel and towards the bottomless pit below.

"My legacy! I have to fulfill it! No! Mother!" Alexander screamed as they fell into the darkness.

"Your right. I could never be you. I know who I am. I am Jack Cardin!" Jack screamed.

Jack manage to grab Alexander's dagger. As they both fell into the Earth, Jack raised the dagger and plunged it into Alexander's chest. "There is only one Jack!"

Ayame raced to the end of the channel. Accel strode behind her, helping his unconscious comrades. Ayame saw the last glimmer of Jack's red eye before he disappeared into the abyss that is the Earth.

"…Jack…" Ayame whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.

** *


	26. XXVI

To say shock filled Ayame's whole being at this incredible moment in her life would be an incredible underestimation of her feelings. The amber light drifted across her faces features, highlighting the streams of tears in gold. The rivers continued to fall around her into the bottomless chasm below, into the eternal night which are the veins of the earth. There were no red lights calling to her from the hole. Jack was gone… forever.

Accel placed his hand on Ayame's shoulder, trying to comfort her. She had been standing at the edge, searching for the poor confused misguided soul who had given everything for her for the last hour. The loved ones around her were breathing, as Accel had checked, and Kraken had maneuvered his way across the remaining chains over to safety. Accel searched for the right words to say for this momentous loss.

"Ayame…he's in a better place now…" Accel whispered.

Ayame blinked. The hole was just as vacant now as it was a couple minutes ago. She sighed in a hushed tone. "I-I just…"

"Shhhh. It's O.K." Accel tried to smile.

"… Who was he, Accel? He had no idea who he was, where he came from, or who his parents were. I could have helped him. Helped him lift some of the many burdens that made his life so horrid. If I only tried…" Ayame glanced at her feet through the rushing waters.

"You did help him Ayame. You trusted him when no one else did. You were his friend. For that he gave up all to protect you. He didn't die in vain." Accel reassured the black haired girl.

"…Yes. You're right." Ayame looked up to Accel. "Accel, I want to remember who I am. I-I want to go home. Back to my family and where I came from."

"I understand. As soon as we get this mess all cleared out, we'll go to Oedo." Accel said

"Thanks." Ayame bowed. "Thanks for everything Accel." She smiled. "Especially for remembering the name of my hometown."

"AHEM!"

The two looked behind them to witness Captain Kraken standing in the river. Ayame quickly blushed as Accel brushed the back of his neck.

"Ahar, while you two love birds sat chattin, I think I fouds us a ways outsa here, yarr." Kraken said.

"Really. Well try to wake them up and we'll follow." Accel responded.

"Hold on! We weren't just talking; we were paying our last respects to Jack. He gave his life for ours! The least you could do is pay a little respect for him too Captain!" Ayame frowned.

Kraken was caught completely off guard. He immediately took a face of shamefulness and looked the other way. He sighed and waded towards the gushing edge. He looked into the void and took off his blue hat and placed it over his heart. "The sea has taken yet another friend, mister Jack…uh…"

"Cardin." Ayame interrupted.

"Yes, Jack Cardin. He was a loyal mate, friendly with a dagger as a fish to the water. A bit of an odd fellow, but as good 'arted as they come. A better navigator will be impossible to find, har har har. So we pays our respects to 'him, God rest 'is soul."

"Amen." Accel and Ayame both said when the pirate was done.

"What were you talking about when you said "sea"?" Accel asked.

"Wot?! 'Tis the only one I know. Think you cin do better? Yarr?" Kraken replied.

"Well… err…um…" Accel tried to say something.

"…Let's go. I'm tired of death." Ayame stated.

"Aye." Kraken said. He got down into the water and slapped Falcon. Falcon drowsily awoke.

"Uhh…Bloody hell. That was a doosy." Falcon rubbed his eyes and stood up.

"It's over." Accel said to Falcon.

Falcon rubbed his head. "…Over? You mean we won? Incredible! Too bad I was out and missed it wot wot. Say, where's Jack?"

"He… saved us all. He threw himself at Alexander and both of them went over the edge…" Ayame answered.

Falcon was quiet for a moment. He looked over to Kraken. "At least he didn't die in vain. I'm going to miss the freaky little bugger."

Kraken nodded.

And so the others began to come to and the story was told again and again. Reverence was paid for the martyr who had saved Manches. With last respects, the crew began to walk back through the channel, following the captain's lead, out of the chambers of the dead…

** *

The trip had been made in silence. The torchlights flickered, allowing the team to bear witness to the path they had traveled before. The altar entrance was approaching. Each crewmember had their own thoughts occupying their heads as they walked, none paying attention to the halls before them. As I said, they walked in silence.

("When I go home, I'm going to promptly apologize to my family for ever doubting them. I'm going to embrace both my lineage and heredity, and my love for the western cultures. Oh, to see the Daimyo's pagoda once more, to run through the cherry blossom groves, to sit and hear Granny tell stories over a hot bowl of ramen. I don't know how I had forgotten who I was, but I thank Jack for letting me remember.") Ayame thought to herself.

("Well, another mission completed. Well, not just another mission completed. This one wasn't for money or fame. I mean, at the beginning of all this, I started only to seek Julia's hand again. Maybe she would think I wasn't such a fool if I could save her hometown. But it some how became much more complicated than that, making and breaking alliances, so forth and so on. Julia was trying to help Jack. Was I able to make his life more bearable, even for a brief amount of time? I suppose so, after all, it was me. But Jack somehow brought us all together. Even if it got me to understand that America- I mean Accel.") Falcon was lost in his thoughts.

("Well, some adventure this had turned out to be. These white men are not so bad. If it weren't for Jack, I would never been able to realize this. Somehow I was even able to forgive and work with Captain Kraken. In all my life I would have thought that impossible. Perhaps it is best to forgive and forget…") Galuda thought.

("Jack…. You were such a strange creature. With no past, how could you bear facing the future? … At least I knew my past, even if they were all bad memories. I think that even some memories are better than none. Maybe I should return to Mahdad and visit with those I once knew. Maybe I can make amends and turn my old bad memories into new good ones. Yes, memories should never be forgotten.") Rouge thought.

("This has got to be the strangest thing I have ever done in my life. And what's worse is that I may have not been completely responsible for doing it. If the power stone lead me here, what makes me think I have any control over my life? Are all my actions planned out already? Am I nothing but a puppet on a string? …I don't really think so. Now that I think about it, I am in control. I may have been running away from my past, but now, now I have faced it. I helped save Ayame from being taken away. I was able to do something. I didn't know Jack that long, but if he had never done his thing, than I would have never been able to do mine.") Accel thought.

("Har har har. I am truly the best in the whole world! Not any beast can pull down the mighty Kraken! Har har! …It was a bit close though. Next time I should play it a little more careful. Har, that will be the day! …I'm famished. I needs some vittles. Yarr.") Kraken thought.

Galuda opened the altar entrance, pushing the heavy slab off the floor. The six walked into the cathedral, tired and bruised. It was dark and no one was around. It must have been sometime at night. A cold breeze blew through a shattered stained glass window, blowing in bits of white snow. All was quiet.

"We did it. We defeated Other Jack!" Falcon announced as all of them walked though the aisle to reach the doors.

"Mission completed." Rouge managed to crack a grin.

"Yes. So let us return to Julia's manor." Galuda advised.

"Good idea. I'm beat." Accel replied.

Falcon turned to the statue of Jesus Christ and gave a thumbs up. "Thanks Lord Jesus. Couldn't have done it without you."

Rouge rubbed her forehead. "O brother….  
  


Kraken raised an eyebrow. "Falcon, next time you talk to the king of kings like that, I will personally kill you. You got that boy?"

Falcon continued to smile. "If you can. Now lets get going."

With nods of approval, the six walked out of the large double doors into the dawn. However, they were greeted with quite a surprise. Surrounding the entrance in the courtyard were nearly a hundred men, all armed with loaded Springfield rifles. The French army was blockading the exit. At the front line, some seventy feet straight ahead of Falcon, was Monsieur Abondues, wearing an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Put down your weapons! Now!" A soldier screamed through the drifting snow.

Kraken was about to pull out his buccaneers pistol and fire, but rouge made him drop it.

"What's all this about Abondues?!" Falcon demanded to know.

"Arr! Where are my men?!" Kraken snapped.

Abondues adjusted his thin spectacles with two fingers and laughed. "Hehehe. Your pirate crew took off after the army arrived earlier this night. Or should I say last night. However, you are all under arrest under the governor's special request. Any struggle to resist will be futile."

"Under what grounds?" Accel asked with his fists clenched. His pistols were on the snow-covered pavement.

"Read them the list." Abondues spoke to a man beside him.

A man dressed in lawyer attire pulled out a piece of parchment and read off it. "You are to be under arrest under the following charges: (1) Destruction of public property. (2) Endangerment of public lives. (3) Assault and battery (4) Aiding and abiding a known felon. (5) Capitol murder. You are all sentenced to a proper execution."

"You see, the enemies of France never prosper." Abondues grinned. He then frowned. "Wait. Where is the serial killer?"

"Who?" Ayame asked.

"The serial killer! The leper known as Jack Cardin! Where is he?! Tell me now!" Abondues roared.

"Jack is no serial killer! He just died down there to save your whole town from the real threat, Other Jack!" Ayame shouted.

"That Other Jack subject again. He does not exist! He never did nor will he ever! If Jack Cardin is dead truly, than you still must face your charges under his punishment!" Abondues gritted his teeth. "You will still pay for your crimes!"

"Murder?! What are you talking about?! We didn't kill any body!" Rouge yelled.

"Well I don't know specifically about you, but your planned attack on the city of Manches involving these pirates did manage to kill many proud citizens of the state." Abondues answered.

"I specifically ordered my crew not to harm any one! Impossible! Yarr!" Kraken replied.

"No more questions. Sergeant, read them their rights." Abondues smirked.

A rather large man in French uniform stepped forward. "Put your hands on your heads and turn around. You all have the right to be silent. Anything said by you can be turned against you in a court of law. You all have the right to a fair and just trial. You-"

"Wait!" A voice was heard. Through the crowd of soldiers came Julia, running at full speed towards Monsieur Abondues. Abondues frowned.

"Wait a minute! You cannot arrest these men!" Julia Swan shouted Monsieur Abondues.

"Why not?! The governor has specially requested for their arrest! They are facing serious charges! What more do you need!?" Abondues replied.

Julia held out a slip of paper. "Just read this!"

Abondues snatched the little yellow slip and raised his glasses, allowing him to read the fine typed telegraph. His eyes narrowed as he scanned every word. Each and every human being on this snowy dawn waited in anticipation.

"To the Third Republic of France. Stop. We sincerely ask you to drop all charges, for there is no proof or witness to any of these charges. Stop. The investigative team sent to perform the search for the real serial killer known as Other Jack shall not be acquitted to any crimes. Stop. Each and every member of this special task force was sent with special permission from our embassy to perform this mission. Stop. So there for, each and every member of this task force had diplomatic immunity granted to them from the British Embassy of Foreign Affairs. Stop. We ask you to please let them perform any actions needed to complete this mission. Stop. Signed Pride Falcon, head of British Foreign Affairs. Stop." Abondues read aloud.

"Good old Dad! I could always count on him!" Falcon grinned.

"And if you look, there's also a signature by the governor who sent you out as well." Julia smiled.

"A Top secret task force? If the governor agreed to it, then we must oblige." The sergeant said.

Accel looked over to Falcon. "Your father's the British head of foreign affairs?!"

Falcon shrugged. "Yea, that's why he was never home. But now, I've got a whole new look on it." Falcon looked to Abondues. "You hear that Abondues!? We're bullet proof!"

"Sir?" The lawyer figure looked over to Abondues. "What do we do?"

Abondues was shaking with fury. He furrowed his brow until veins came out of the side of his head. He suddenly ripped the telegraph in two pieces. "I don't care! Shoot them all now! Do it! Do it!"

The six adventurers stood back, not knowing what to do. The soldiers cocked their rifles.

"What's your problem Abondues!? The telegraph clearly said you couldn't touch us!" Falcon asked in shock.

"You! I'll tell you what my problem is! It's the fact that you have won the heart of Lady Julia over me! That's my problem! I was clearly the better choice those years ago, but she decided you over me! From that day on I have hated you, Edward Falcon! You and everything around you must die!" Abondues screamed as his eye twitched.

"He's insane!" Rouge stated.

"Sir! It is clear that you are unfit to hold this position and it is my duty to relieve you of command. Stand down." The sergeant approached the shaking Abondues.

"Shoot them! Shoot them!" Abondues screamed.

The sergeant nodded to his men. They promptly took action, taking care to knock Abondues out by knocking him in the back of the head with the butt of a Springfield. The sergeant turned to Falcon. "You heard the telegram. You are free to go, though I'd advise leaving immediately."

Falcon nodded. Julia ran up to the aviator and threw her arms around him. "Edward! You were wonderful!"

Accel picked up his pistol. "What a story. Let's do as the man said and get going."

Ayame nodded. "Right. We need to get to Julia's estate and get our things. Lets go first thing in the morning…or afternoon."

** *


	27. XXVII

It had been a hectic day. One that each and every participant will remember for the rest of his or her life. The city of Manches had not seen such action in twenty years, nonetheless had preparations for it. Filled to the brim with memories and events that shook the foundation of one's character. A day that changed the lives of Edward Falcon, Julia Swan, Ayame Uematsu, John Accel, Galuda, and Rouge Nehbandan. Oh, I may add that the lives of Ebenezer Kraken and Jean-Paul Gourmand had been radically affected as well.

As the morning sun rose into a December sky such as a golden lantern, the town found itself awakening from their slumber. To put it metaphorically, Manches found itself awakening from a nightmare. Had the chaos of the mysterious serial killer finally left them alone to dream in peace? The answer would be yes, thanks to an underestimated hero. But as many that have such nightmares, Manches will need time to shake off the effects of the disaster. Time heals all wounds. And until these gashes are bound, it would not be over.

Like what was said before, the sun was rising to its mid morning routine, changing pace every hour or so. But as the town awoke, the adventurers who had risked all could be found in a deep sleep in soft mattresses within the Swan estate. You see these tiresome souls had only clambered into a doze a few hours ago, shortly after daybreak. To have a peaceful sleep now would be preferred over a king's treasure.

The small Asian girl Ayame was sleeping with a smile on her face, her head resting neatly on her loves chest, which was rising and falling in the rhythm that sleeps provides us. Their things were laid out on the floor in the fashion which one would leave a room in the middle of tidying up. The suns rays filtered in quietly, trying to awake the two without making a sound. But the sun should find no victory in this room. Let them be.

Galuda was fast asleep in his bunk, as Rouge in hers, dreaming sweet dreams of yesterday's pleasures. The blinds were shut and the room quite dark. Galuda's things were neatly tucked away in the small bag he had brought along. Rouge's many items of vanity were stuffed inside several cases. Her many combs and braid accessories would be given away in the near future, for Rouge's short hair had no more use of them. One eye hiding behind her lovely bangs, another closed in a sleepy wonderland, her lips curled at the ends, indicating a fond sensation her mind was scheming. Galuda laid on the bunk, face in pillow, arm falling over the edge, his knuckles gently scraping the carpeted floor. In his mind, he was most likely thinking of his wife Doe and his newborn child. His child would be born by now, he was sure. Was it a girl or a boy? If only he knew. Well, whatever it was, he would be seeing it soon, for he was heading home soon.

The captain was a sleep in a big, wide, comfortable armchair that happened to be facing a dead fireplace. One hand was placed over a newspaper, the other hanging over the chairs arm. His head was reclined over the top of the chair, allowing his snores to reach the ceiling directly above. When asleep, the captain did not look so menacing, more like a drunken seadog.

Jean-Paul was up and about. His eyes were ringed with the sign of a lack of sleep, for he was up the night, awaiting Lady Julia's command to stop the insane Abondues. Gourmand held no grudges. He opened up the stove within the kitchen, placed large oven mitts upon his powerful hands, and reached for a hot tray of breakfast scones. Though scones were not his usual style, he felt they would be appropriate, due to Pride Falcon's telegram from the British Foreign Embassy. He placed the tray on a kitchen counter and slipped his mitts onto the hook besides the oven door, being careful to shut that same door first. A little honey and bits of butter were added to the scones while they were still hot, in order to blend the three elements together perfectly. These would be the first part of the morning routine, shortly after to be followed by muffins, orange juice, sausages, and possible cream of wheat. Those could wait for a bit. It was still early, especially after the night before. Taking a whiff of the scones, Jean-Paul placed them onto a silver tray. Just then he heard the door open.

"Who's there?" Gourmand asked with a nonchalant feel.

"Just me Jean-Paul." Granny Uematsu's old, yet excited voice rang. "What are those you're baking?"

"These, Miss Uematsu, are scones. I normally don't serve them, but there for a special cause." Gourmand replied with a smile.

"They look delicious. May I have one? It will be a while before any one else shows up for them. All wiped out from last night." Granny pointed out.

"Do help yourself. Yes, I heard the entire thing from Master Falcon. Quite the tale. And I can certainly say that Monsieur Abondues was a bit crazy. I remember when he first appeared her more than five years ago to try and court Lady Julia and she turned him down for Master Falcon." Gourmand carried on.

"Those poor children. It is a good thing we're leaving for home this day. You've shown me the Western world, but I say I like old Nippon better. I'd best pack my things." Granny said.

"Could you be a dear miss Uematsu and get the door? I have to bring this tray of scones out to the table." Gourmand asked.

The short old woman nodded and opened the swinging door, allowing the master chef to enter the dining hall. The two walked out into the grand hallway. Gourmand placed the tray upon the long table when Granny tapped him.

"Yes?" Gourmand asked.

"Look down there." Granny pointed to the end of the table. In two chairs right by each other sat Falcon and Julia, both asleep. Falcon was almost sitting straight up as Julia was leaning on his broad shoulder with a satisfied look on her peaceful face. The enormous windows upon the dining hall were practically flooding with sunlight, creating a sort of spotlight effect on the sleeping pair. This brought a smile to Gourmand and Granny's faces.

"I think she's fallen for him again…" Gourmand whispered.

"I know they're in love. Come on Jean-Paul, we should get going." Granny whispered back.

"But shouldn't someone help them to their rooms?" Gourmand asked.

"Oh you just leave them be. They're perfectly happy. Just look at 'em! It would be a crime to disturb those two. Now you go back into the kitchen and continue making breakfast. I'll be back shortly." Granny huffed.

Gourmand nodded and walked back through the swinging door, taking one last look at the sleeping pair. Granny sighed and exited the hallway to the stairs.

There was not a single sound…

BOOM! The entire building shook from the sound. The sound of a cannons roar. Every creature with a set of functioning ears instantly awoke to the explosion. Ayame and Accel in their bedroom. Rouge and Galuda in their respective rooms. All of the servants. Even old Ebenezer opened his eyes. And the sleeping pair in the dining hall? Well, they awoke to the sound more startled than anyone else.

** *

"…The hell was that?" Accel asked as he rubbed his eyes.

** *

"Does anything normal ever happen in this town?" Rouge complained in her room.

** *

"That was defiantly the sound of a cannon being fired!" Gourmand told himself.

** *

Kraken jumped out of the armchair and ran to a window. In the bay was the sight he was hoping to see. The King Octopus had returned. Kraken grinned. There was neither snow nor any hints of clouds. Just blue skies and blue seas.

Straightening his jacket and combing his long white hair, the pirate captain stared into the mirror before him, trying to think of what to say to his crew when he got there. He would have to crack a few skulls for sure with the stunt they pulled during the night. But he was glad that King, Octo, and Puss had returned for him as he had for them a year ago. A ships crew is family after all.

** *

It didn't take much time for Kraken to finish his morning routine and fins himself in the dining hall. Falcon was stretching through a yawn as Julia adjusting her gown. Kraken revealed his hiderous teeth in a smile. The captain walked up behind the two, making sure that he had an upper hand in an intimidation factor.

"Well well well. It looks like yer little adventure is done, eh boy? Yarr?" Kraken asked.

"Kraken, if that was the King Octopus out there firing those cannons, I'm going to kill you personally." Falcon muttered.

"Well there boy, you can't kill me until after I have received payment for helping ye out, har har. Remember yer part of the bargain? Yarr?" Kraken asked, trying to beat around the bush.

"Isn't it bloody little too early for this captain? Grab a bite to eat or something, Jesus…" Falcon complained.

"Ahar har har. No one cheats old Captain Kraken out of a job! You promised me and me crew Yer Island in the Canaries for this job! Now hand over the deed or I'll be forced to do something you wouldn't like. Heh heh heh." Kraken reached into his coat where his gun would be.

"…His island? Edward's family owns only half of an island in the Canary Islands!" Julia stated.

"Now now Julia. I think we both should pitch in in order to pay the good captain for helping us fight Other Jack, wot wot." Falcon put his arm around Julia's shoulder.

"You didn't tell him you were giving him my half of the island too did you Falcon?!" Julia was growing very irritated.

"Remember Julia! You said you'd pay anything in order to solve this case! You said it, I remember!" Falcon waved his hands in defense.

"Well you're supposed to tell me these things first wise guy! If you knew anything, you'd know that you just couldn't give over an island in one simple transaction! There's a whole process to exchanging of land, especially if it's been in MY family for hundreds of years!" Julia stood up and started barking into Falcons face.

Kraken was also becoming annoyed. "Wots going on here? Ye scumbags aren't going to pay me fer doing yer dirty work?!"

Julia yelled at the pirate. "Will you hold on a second!?"

Kraken stepped back quietly, twiddling his thumbs.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! Down the stairs came Ayame and Accel, each carrying two large suitcases. They had become dressed in their normal attire and were chatting away to each other, completely oblivious to the pandemonium taking place in the dining hall.

"So I'm heading off with you to Japan, Ayame?" Accel asked.

Ayame nodded. "I hope so! You can see all my favorite places! Oh, Accel, it would be great!"

Accel grinned. "As long as your Granny doesn't kill me. I just hope that you Japanese aren't so hateful to Americans as these Europeans are."

"Well, there lies the problem. It's not going to be easy, but you gotta try. Maybe you can help modernize our country! If you do, you'll be a hero or something!" Ayame leaned her head on his shoulder.

"What, I'm not a hero already?!" Accel chided.

"Accel! Of coarse you are! You'll always be a hero to me! Come, let's get some breakfast!" Ayame smiled.

"Out of the way!" Came screaming Rouge. She was running down the stairs with all sorts of bags and cases around her. Ayame and Accel just barley dodged aside as she bolted down to the hall. "I'm going to be late! I'm going to be late!"

Galuda calmly came down the stairs after her, stopping to meet Ayame and Accel.

"What was all that about?" Ayame asked the Native American.

"She believes she will miss her train if she does not run to it." Galuda answered.

Accel scratched his head. "How'd she get a train ticket this early?"

"She hasn't purchased one yet. She just knows at what times they roll in." Galuda promptly replied.

Rouge barreled through the dining hall into she smacked right into Jean-Paul, which set off the reaction of Jean-Paul dropping the tray full of muffins. The two fell onto the ground in a state of surprise.

"My muffins! Was there a reason you were charging down the hall like a mad bull miss?!" Gourmand tried picking up his beautiful banana nut muffins.

Rouge rubbed her forehead. "I'm sorry Gourmand, but I have a train to catch. If I miss it, I'll have to wait an for an entirely new day."

"Well you'd best know this now so you don't run any other innocent villager over. The trains aren't running today; it's Sunday." Gourmand replied.

Rouge just looked at him wide-eyed.

"However, I'll be willing to drive you and the rest of your friends to Paris later in the day. There you can catch a train, zeppelin, or ship." Gourmand offered.

Rouge breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Gourmand. At least this will give me time to clean up and say my farewells."

"And to try a new batch of banana nut muffins." Gourmand waved a finger.

** *

An hour or so had passed since the cannon first rang. The party, dressed and groomed in a much more proper manner, sat about the table enjoying breakfast. Even Gourmand and Granny sat to eat in these last transient moments.

Julia opened an old, over-sized envelope and pulled out a few dusty papers and records. "Here we go. These are the papers and deeds of my half of the island. There's a whole lot more to do officially, but I can see you don't care for such things Kraken. Just present these papers and you should be alright."

"I'll just mail you the papers to my side of the island. I'm presuming you'll be at the island, right?" Falcon asked.

Kraken nodded. "Aye boy. We'll have to set her riggings and fold out her sails if you know what I mean. Har har har, yarr." With that, Kraken turned from the table and left for the door. The party waved a silent good bye, smiles on their face until they heard the door finally shut.

"It's been quite the run, hasn't it?" Rouge stated from her spot at the table.

"Yes, but I'd say it was worth it." Ayame said as she snuggled with Accel.

"Oh dear. Ayame, your not bringing him home with us, are you?" Granny asked.

"And what if I am Granny?!" Ayame stood up.

"Then you'd better ask me first girlie!" Granny stood up, but she was still much shorter.

Accel rubbed his temples. "It's going to be a long trip…"

Falcon smiled and looked at Julia. "I'd say it was worth it too."

Julia glanced back. "It brought you and I back together, eh Falcon."

"So Galuda, what are you going to name your kid when you get home?" Rouge asked the giant.

Galuda smiled, grabbing his bags to indicate to Gourmand it was time to go. "If it's a girl, I shall call her Doe, after my love. If it's a boy, I shall call him… Jack."

THE END

** *

**DID YOU KNOW**: 

Facts about the story Blades in Motion and the world around it.

This story was originally titled "How to Frame a Frenchman" This story was originally intended to be a detective story Accel was not even meant to be in this story. He appeared in a cameo, but he got so much applause by the fans that he was made into a regular. Ayame's original personality was meant to be very lighthearted. She was meant to be the comic relief, but somehow she grew into one of the three essential main characters. The first four crude examples of zeppelins flew in France only haltingly and briefly between 1852 and 1884, decades before the Wright brothers created the first verifiably successful powered heavier-than-air flying machine. The first of the French airships was powered by a steam engine, the next two by human muscle and the fourth, and most successful, by an electric motor. The airship, however, like the airplane, did not become a truly viable proposition until the advent of the internal combustion engine. Manches is a real place in France, though it is not a city. Manches is a province or county in northwestern France. It still exists today. In the power stone game world, the geography is similar to our world, yet small and subtle differences can be noted. For instance, there is a land bridge between what is Labrador, Canada, and northwestern Spain. The Mediterranean has shrunk a great deal, as has the Atlantic, the Arabian Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the North Sea. The Bering Sea has grown somewhat. Madagascar is connected to eastern Africa, as Indonesia has been changed to one giant landmass connected Australia to southern Asia. The islands of northern Canada have also turned into a landmass, which connects Greenland to mainland North America. Florida extends south to connect to the Yucatan in Mexico. Japan, Ireland, and Great Britain have pretty much gone unchanged. Sri Lanka has vanished from the face of the globe. The Cape of Fear in southern South America has connected to Antarctica. The Sinai Peninsula in Egypt has grown. The Eiffel Tower was constructed during the Universal Exhibition of 1889 in order to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. Its construction was very controversial at the time, although now the Tower is one of the most well-known and frequently visited monuments in France. Falcons original name is Fokker, named after the Dutch engineer and famous aviator Anthony Fokker. To learn more about Anthony Fokker, go here Londo, without saying, is based on London. Rouge's last name in this story, Nehbandan, is based on a small town in eastern Iran. It is still there today. In the Power Stone anime, the world is divided into six or seven separate landmasses that have absolutely no similarities with Earth. In this story, Ayame's last name, Uematsu, comes from the famous Japanese video game music composer, Nobuo Uematsu. In this story, Accel's first name is John. I mean, have you ever met an American named Accel? The Franco-Prussian war began in 1870. The Germans captured Paris and claimed the Alsace and Lorraine regions of France. Following the defeat, Napoleon III was exiled. The Third Republic emerged in France in 1871, indicating the end of monarchy in France. France today is currently in the 5th Republic. Abondues is a common French last name. Monsieur is French for mister. It is not a first name. In this story almost no French was spoken. This story took 120 days to complete with an average of one update per week. At the moment, there are 29 reviews for Blades in motion. Of those 29, Evil Anime Chick did 20. In the scene where Falcon addresses the statue of Jesus, he was originally meant to say "Jesus, please don't let us f^ck up." This was changed due to the fact that this story was rated PG-13. At the moment, there are currently 13 Power stone stories of Fanfiction.net. Twelve if you don't count this one. In the scene where Rouge states that only medieval Muslims would have been able to build the underground crypt sphere, she is referring to the fact that the Europeans, at the time, were in the dark ages. The Muslim world was blossoming, creating such things as advanced architecture, geometry, and sciences. These vast improvements were introduced into Europe when the Moors, a group of Muslims, moved into Spain. Music best listened to while reading this story, the Godzilla orchestrated soundtrack, Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX, or X OST's, Vampire hunter D "Bloodlust" OST, Escaflowne the movie OST, and Evanesence's "Bring Me to Life." The first subway system, which began operating in 1863 in London, England, was steam-powered and opened to huge success. Fedje is a real place, although it hasn't changed much since the latter half of the nineteenth century. In 1855, the hydrographical authorities accomplished a remarkable feat in building a 108 foot tall cast-iron tower on a weather-exposed islet. The official in charge was doubtful about the location, and said that "unless one should stumble upon an exceptionally good summer, it presents so many complications that I have not yet seen its equal in the years I have spent in this service." The lighthouse itself is built with one-inch cast-iron plates, and the ground and first floors are lined with 35,000 bricks. The lighthouse on the islet Hellisøy can be experienced on weekend lighthouse safaris. It is also possible to rent the lighthouse keeper's quarters. If you want to know more, click here Games played while writing this story: Final Fantasy X, Jak and Daxter, Wild Arms 3, Star Ocean: The Second Story, Yoshi's Island, Sonic Advance 2, Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland, and of course, Power Stone. In the scene where Julia and Falcon converse over the table about sciences, Julia mentions something about the Great Auk. At the time, no one knew that the Great Auk was going extinct. The trend for the rich at the time was gathering collections of stuffed and rare animals. The going price for a stuffed Great Auk at the time would be close to what is today one million dollars. This story's original cast was Ayame, Galuda, Rouge, and Jack. The British Empire did not have control of Persia during the later nineteenth century. Persia was in possession of the Ottoman Empire. This story takes place in 1893. Manches did not then nor does it now have such an elaborate underground network of trains and catacombs. Ashford is a French last name. The Ashford family used in this story is a purely fictional family. They are not based on the Ashford's of Resident Evil/Biohazard fame. In the video game and anime, Kraken is a bad guy. Valgas was excluded from this story's version of Power stone history due to the fact that in my opinion, he was a very lame character. Gunrock is the standard Mexican sterotype. He is Cuban in this story. I do not know why. Wang-Tang and Ayame were traveling on a ship that was part of the Great Migration movement that overtook America in the late 1870's. Although in real life, most Asians entering from the Great Migration would pass through the immigration center at Angel Island, where more than half of them would be told to turn around. Most of the immigrants were Chinese and did not leave California at all. Utah was not a state, nor was Alaska or Hawaii, at the time. The Great Plains Indian Wars took place during the 1870's. Most of it was over by the mid 1890's. Though right afterwards, in the real early 1900's, the buffalo soldiers went against Spain in the American Spanish war. 

I hope that you enjoyed this story. A sequel may be in order, but you never know. Thanks for spending your time with this story and please review. Thank you.


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